Form 6252: Report an Installment Sale

According to the IRS, use this form to report income from an installment sale on the installment method. An installment sale is typically a property disposition where at least one payment is received after the tax year in which the disposition occurs.

Filing this form with the IRS is necessary when real estate sale proceeds or properties are distributed to the owner in the year following the closing date of the sale. The IRS defines an installment sale as a sale of property where you receive at least one payment after the tax year of the sale. If you realize a gain on an installment sale, you may be able to report part of your gain when you receive each payment, a method referred to as the installment method.