Corporate Officers Must Be on Payroll: Why You Can't Take Distributions Only
Corporate officers who work in the business are employees under IRS rules — wages, withholding, and FICA apply even to sole shareholders taking distributions.
#reasonable-salary
Reasonable Salary
Determine reasonable salary for S Corp shareholders
Owner's Draw vs. Salary: How S-Corp Owners Set Reasonable Compensation
The "60/40 rule" for splitting S-corp salary and distributions has never appeared in any IRS regulation. What the IRS actually applies is a facts-and-circumstances test — the one that reclassified a CPA's $24,000 salary to $91,044 and cost him $23,000 in back payroll taxes. Here's how to set a defensible number.
Solo 401(k) vs SEP-IRA in 2026: Contribution Limits, Super Catch-Up, and Mega-Backdoor Roth for the Self-Employed
Compare the 2026 Solo 401(k) and SEP-IRA limits side by side — when each plan wins, how the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up adds $11,250 for ages 60–63, the mega-backdoor Roth strategy for after-tax conversions, the 20% versus 25% Schedule C calculation, and the Form 5500-EZ filing required once plan assets cross $250,000.
Reasonable Compensation for S-Corp Owners: How to Set Your Salary, Survive an Audit, and Avoid Six-Figure Penalties
A CPA paid himself $24,000 while taking $200,000 in S-Corp distributions, lost in the Eighth Circuit, and owed six figures in back payroll taxes and penalties. Here is how the IRS evaluates reasonable compensation, the audit red flags, and a defensible methodology for setting an S-Corp owner salary.
LLC Taxes Explained: A Complete Guide for Single-Member, Multi-Member, and S-Corp Elections
A practical guide to how LLCs are actually taxed federally—disregarded entity, partnership, S-corp, or C-corp—when each classification makes sense, what the S-Corp election saves at $150K of profit, the 75-day Form 2553 deadline, and the six mistakes that most reliably trigger IRS audits.
Form 1120-S Explained: The Complete Guide to Filing Your S Corporation Tax Return
Form 1120-S is the IRS return S corporations file each year. Learn who must file, 2026 deadlines, key schedules, and costly filing mistakes to avoid.
From Sole Proprietor to S Corp: When the Switch Pays Off (and When It Backfires)
A sole proprietor netting $100,000 pays roughly $14,130 in self-employment tax that an S corp owner can legally avoid. This guide explains the break-even math, Form 2553 deadlines, reasonable compensation audit triggers, and the annual compliance costs that decide whether the switch actually saves money.
S-Corp “Reasonable Salary”: A Practical Guide for Beancount Users (2025)
Understand the IRS requirements for S-Corp reasonable salaries and learn how to accurately track W-2 wages and owner distributions in your Beancount ledger.