Can you write off cattle on taxes?

Answer 1

In the United States of America, with our more or less voluntary tax system, as general rule, ordinary business expenses associated with an investment may be taken against income, for purposes of calculating taxes; however, just because one personally considers something an investment is not sufficient to 'write off' its capital costs, or even expenses.

For example, one might purchase a second house for an investment purpose, and if specific rules for the calculation of expenses, including depreciation, and personal usage are not followed, generally nothing can be 'written off.'

The 'cost' of something, that is the capital cost, is never just written off; it may be depreciated according to strict schedules. (obviously, small items in the tax scheme are not depreciated, but expensed, so to speak. This is a judgment-call.)

As for cattle, well, it all depends on what you are doing with them, what kind of records you keep, and how what you are doing appears to other people.

Example, if it is seen as a 'hobby', forget it.

If it is a business, and it looks like a business, even if you lose money, the ordinary and necessary expenses are probably deductible.

First, if you want to go into the cattle business, you better look at more than cost accounting, and Second, the Internal Revenue Service of the U. S. government has much information on line about this particular subject.