Many eBay sellers start out as a hobby, or just to clean out their closets. Many times, this hobby can lead to a profitable business.
A hobby is an activity that you do simply because you love doing it, but it may also earn you some income. That income must be reported on your tax return, even if it is just a hobby.
Some hobbies may actually be businesses, which would allow you to deduct expenses against any income you earn. On the flipside, some businesses may only be hobbies, in which case you would only be able to deduct expenses up to your earnings.
How can you tell if your activity is a business or a hobby? Basically, it’s whether you have a profit motive or not.
Learn what factors the IRS looks at when determining whether a business is a business or a hobby. The IRS looks at nine factors to determine if you are trying to make a profit, or if you’re just enjoying a hobby:
Whether you run the activity in a business like manner
How much time and effort you put into making a profit
Whether you depend on the activity for your livelihood
Whether your losses were due to conditions beyond your control
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