Example 1. After the death of her husband, Ms. A rents her farm, together with its machinery and equipment, to B for one-half of the proceeds from the commodities produced on the farm by B. It is agreed that B will live in the tenant house on the farm and be responsible for the overall operation of the farm, such as planting, cultivating, and harvesting the field crops, caring for the orchard and harvesting the fruit and caring for the livestock and poultry. It also is agreed that Ms. A will continue to live in the farm residence and help B operate the farm. Under the agreement it is expected that Ms. A will regularly operate and clean the cream separator and feed the poultry flock and collect the eggs. When possible she will assist B in such work as spraying the fruit trees, penning livestock, culling the poultry, and controlling weeds. She will also assist in preparing the meals when B engages seasonal workers. The agreement between Ms. A and B clearly provides that she will materially participate in the overall production operations to be conducted on her farm by B. In actual practice, Ms. A regularly performs those services. The regularly performed services are material to the production of an agricultural commodity, and the services performed are material to the production operations to which they relate. The furnishing of a substantial portion of the farm machinery and equipment also supports the conclusion that Ms. A has materially participated. Accordingly, the rental income Ms. A receives from her farm should be included in her net earnings from self-employment.
Example 2. G owns a fully-equipped farm which he rents to H under an arrangement which provides that G will materially participate in the management of the production of crops raised on the farm under the arrangement. G lives in town about 5 miles from the farm. About twice a month he visits the farm and looks over the buildings and equipment. G may occasionally, in an emergency, discuss with H some phase of a crop production activity. In effect, H has complete charge of the management of farming operations regardless of the understanding between him and G. Although G pays one-half of the cost of the seed and fertilizer and is charged for the cost of materials purchased by H to make all necessary repairs, G's activities are not material in the crop production activities. Accordingly, G's income from the crops is not included in net earnings from self-employment.
Example: A owns a building containing four apartments. During the taxable year, A received $1,400 from apartments numbered 1 and 2, which are rented without services provided to the occupants, and $3,600 from apartments numbered 3 and 4, which are rented with services provided. A's fixed expenses for the four apartments are $1,200 during the taxable year. In addition, A has $500 of expenses attributable to the services provided to the occupants of apartments 3 and 4. In determining his net earnings from self-employment, A includes the $3,600 received from apartments 3 and 4, and the expenses of $1,100 ($500 plus one-half of $1,200) attributable to them. The rentals and expenses attributable to apartments 1 and 2 are excluded. Therefore, A has $2,500 of net earnings from self-employment from the building for the taxable year.
20 C.F.R. §404.1082