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BR Tax Group - Accounting Firm

So Long To The Tax Deduction For Investment Expenses

Article Highlights:

  • Itemized Deduction 
  • Net Investment Income 
  • Investment Interest Deduction 
  • Surtax On Net Investment Income 
  • Retirement Account Fees 
Under the new tax reform law, investment expenses are no longer deductible as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. This means, for example, that if you have an investment account and are paying fees to have it managed, those fees are no longer deductible. This also means IRA and other types of retirement account fees that are considered investment fees are no longer deductible.

This affects more than just the itemized deduction for investment expenses, as these fees are used in the computation of net investment income (NII). NII is investment income reduced by investment expenses. NII is used in other tax computations as well. Here are two examples, one that is taxpayer beneficial and one that is not:

Investment Interest Deduction – Taxpayers who itemize their deductions can take a deduction for interest paid on debts to acquire investments. However, that deduction is limited to the lesser of the interest expense or NII. The elimination of investment expenses in the determination of NII effectively makes NII larger and in turn allows for a larger investment interest deduction.

Surtax On Net Investment – The Affordable Care Act imposes a 3.8% surtax on NII for higher-income taxpayers. This surtax generally applies to taxpayers filing a joint return with an AGI in excess of $250,000, married filing separate taxpayers with an AGI in excess of $125,000 and other filers with an AGI in excess of $200,000.

Since the tax is based on the NII, not being able to deduct investment expenses in the computation of NII effectively makes the NII larger, and thus the amount subject to the surtax is larger.


In the past, many taxpayers, in an effort to help their IRA or other retirement plans grow, would pay the fees for those accounts out of separate funds and then deduct those fees as investment expenses. Now that investment expenses are no longer deductible, it may be appropriate to reconsider that approach.

If you have questions about how the loss of the deduction for investment expenses might impact your taxes, please give this office a call.

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“Bernard and his team at BR tax group are top notch. This is my first year using them after switching from a different local CPA and I didn't realize how much tax info I've been missing. His communication is great. The additional information he provides to maximize tax savings is something I didn't get from my previous CPA. Thanks Bernard”

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Frequently Asked Questions

You can prepare your taxes yourself, especially if your business is simple.

But once you have contractors, employees, business loans, equipment purchases, mileage, mixed expenses, or growing revenue, things get more complex. At that point, tax preparation becomes a way to make sure your business is reported correctly, your deductions are handled properly, and your records can support what you file.

Send anything that shows what your business earned, spent, bought, paid, borrowed, or changed during the year.

That usually means your income records, bank statements, credit card statements, payroll reports, contractor payments, loan documents, mileage records, and prior-year tax return. Also tell me about anything unusual, such as buying a vehicle, hiring someone, opening a new location, or taking out a business loan.

Messy books can slow things down. If expenses are in the wrong categories, transactions are missing, or personal and business spending are mixed together, your tax return may not show the right profit. We may need to clean things up before filing, so your return is accurate and easier to support.

Possibly, if it was truly for your business and you have proof.

Still, it is much better to avoid this when you can. A separate business bank account and business credit card make everything cleaner. They save time, reduce confusion, and make your records much easier to defend if anyone ever asks questions.

Most small business owners can deduct ordinary business expenses like software, advertising, supplies, insurance, rent, payroll, contractor payments, professional fees, travel, and some vehicle costs.

The question I usually ask is simple. Was this expense clearly for the business? If yes, we can look at how it should be handled. Personal expenses should stay personal.

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