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The Daily Insight

What is a 4952 tax form?

Author

Emma Jordan

Published Apr 09, 2026

Form 4952: Investment Interest Expense Deduction is a tax form distributed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) used to determine the amount of investment interest expense that can be deducted, as well as any interest expense that can be carried forward to a future tax year.

Use Form 4952 to figure the amount of investment interest expense you can deduct for 2020 and the amount you can carry forward to future years. If you are an individual, estate, or a trust, you must file Form 4952 to claim a deduction for your investment interest expense.

How does form 4952 work?

IRS Form 4952 determines the amount of deductible investment interest expense as well as interest expense that can be carried forward. The form must be filed by individuals, estates, or trusts seeking a deduction for investment interest expenses.

Can you write off margin interest on your taxes?

Deduct Investment Interest Expenses This expense occurs when people take out margin loans, which is money borrowed against the value of stocks or mutual funds. The money can be used to buy additional securities or used for other financial needs. That margin interest is deductible.

What do I need to know about form 4952?

Although the rules for calculating investment interest expense deductions may be complicated, Form 4952 itself is quite short and divided into these three sections:

Can You claim interest expense on a loan on form 4952?

The IRS allows certain taxpayers to take a tax deduction for the interest expense on some loans using Form 4952. However, the tax ramifications of investment interest can be complicated, as the IRS only allows a deduction for certain types of investment interest.

How are qualified dividends and net capital gains included on form 4952?

This election is accomplished by choosing how much of your qualified dividends and net capital gains you want to include in net investment income on line 4(g) of Form 4952.

Do you have to fill out form 4952 for AMT?

Thanks to the Alternative Minimum Tax, if you fill out one Form 4952, you’ll always have to complete a second one for AMT calculations. The AMT is designed to ensure that certain individuals pay at least a minimum amount of tax by adding back in items that may have been excluded from a traditional tax calculation.