When a creditor forgives a debt without requiring consideration in return. The amount of debt that is forgiven by cancellation of debt is considered income to the debtor and must be reported as a result. In most cases, it is taxable as ordinary income and is known as cancellation-of-debt (COD) income.

In some cases, this debt is from one country to another and is partially or fully wiped away to help rebuild the nation.



|||If the cancellation of debt is taxable, the debtor will receive a 1099-C at year-end that reports the amount of debt forgiven as taxable income. For example, if a bank lent $10,000 to you and you pay back $6,000, then are unable to pay the remainder, the bank can forgive the $4,000 difference, which will be recorded as income for you.

Cases in which debt forgiveness is not considered income include bankruptcies, insolvencies, certain farm loans and non-recourse loans.