Rachel Schutz is a high school English teacher. In her spare time, she likes to make her own body lotion, lip-gloss, and bath and shower gel. She uses the bath products herself and gives them to her friends and relatives as gifts. In 2011, Rachel started attending arts and crafts festivals three or four times a year to sell her products.
She hands out her business card so her customers can buy directly from her by phone or email. In 2011, Rachel reported a net loss of $375 from the activity. In 2012, she reported a loss of $460. Rachel is audited for the year 2012, and the agent disallows the $460 loss. Rachel is pretty sure she will make a profit on her sales in 2013, and she assumes she will continue to make a profit after 2013. Rachel is not sure that she can prove that her activity is not a hobby right now. What can she do to avoid proving that her loss is not a hobby loss?