Loss Carry-Back

Loss Carry-Back (Carry-Forward)

A tax provision that allows operating losses to be used as a tax shield to reduce taxable income in prior and future years. Losses can be carried backward for up to three years and forward for up to 15 years under current tax codes.

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Carryback

In accounting, a way for a company to reduce its tax liability by applying a net operating loss to previous years in which it made a profit. If a company deducts more than its net income in a given tax year, it may take the difference between the deduction and the net income (a negative number) and apply it as a deduction on taxable income for the previous five years. For example, if a company makes $1,000,000 in one year, and loses $500,000 the following year, it may only be liable for a $500,000 profit on the year it makes a profit. That is, it may receive a tax refund on part of what it paid for the profitable year. See also: Future Income Tax.