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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: What Exactly, According to the IRS Defines a "New Trade or Business"

    Switching computer languages isn't a new trade. That would be an extension of your existing business that you were qualified for. It's exactly the type of thing that the deduction is designed to cover. Now if you went to take flying lessons with the goal of becoming a pilot rather than a programmer, that would be a new trade/business.

    Do you have enough self-employment income or itemized deductions that this will actually make any difference?

    By the way, as a person who has spent 40 years in the software industry, if you are on the .NET versions of VB, I'd suggest learning C# on yoru own. It's an easy switch from VB.NET. From there you can start taking class in C or C++ and other API skill sets.

    Good luck.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    114

    Default Re: What Exactly, According to the IRS Defines a "New Trade or Business"

    Quote Quoting Taxing Matters
    View Post
    But as you asked exactly how the IRS defines it, I’ll answer that question.
    Thanks. This is exactly what I was looking for.

    Quote Quoting flyingron
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    Do you have enough self-employment income or itemized deductions that this will actually make any difference?
    I am hoping to include it as an expense on my Schedule C.

    By the way, as a person who has spent 40 years in the software industry, if you are on the .NET versions of VB, I'd suggest learning C# on yoru own. It's an easy switch from VB.NET. From there you can start taking class in C or C++ and other API skill sets.
    I've actually taken half of a free Harvard course on C online. But life happened, and I never finished it. It used Linux and gedit, I think?

    I'm looking to spend about $2,500 and improve my skills. In part, I need to reduce my business income. But spending it on education would probably help me a great deal too. So, why not?

    So far, two things that come to mind that seem fairly quick but not cheap (which is what I'm looking for) are learning Amazon Web Services or Tradestation's EasyLanguage. And I could finish learning C on my own for free.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: What Exactly, According to the IRS Defines a "New Trade or Business"

    As far as your Tax issues are concerned, yes you can take it off your sched C programming-based income.

    I have been programming in C since 1977. My college was one of the early users of UNIX. Most of my career was C and then C++ (with random forays into C# and VB and other languages).
    Your first step would be the classic Kernighan and Ritchie book "The C Programming Language." There are some good courses on Lynda.com (free).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    114

    Default Re: What Exactly, According to the IRS Defines a "New Trade or Business"

    Quote Quoting flyingron
    View Post
    As far as your Tax issues are concerned, yes you can take it off your sched C programming-based income.

    I have been programming in C since 1977. My college was one of the early users of UNIX. Most of my career was C and then C++ (with random forays into C# and VB and other languages).
    Your first step would be the classic Kernighan and Ritchie book "The C Programming Language." There are some good courses on Lynda.com (free).
    Thanks!

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