I need guidance and how to get the answer:

Problem 2 During the current year, Ben worked 1 ,500 hours as a tax consultant and 500 hours as a real estate agent. His one other employee (his wife) worked 350 hours in the real estate business. Ben earned $60,000 as a tax consultant, and together the couple lost $18,000 in the real estate business. How should Ben treat the loss on his federal income tax return?