Tax Deductions Featured

What is the Qualified Business Income Deduction?

Understanding the QBI Deduction for Small Business Owners

BS

Business Tax Specialist

Tax Expert

3 min read
Published on 1 month ago
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What is the Qualified Business Income Deduction?

The Qualified Business Income Deduction (QBI Deduction), also known as the Section 199A Deduction, allows eligible taxpayers to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income from certain pass-through entities. This deduction is designed to provide tax relief for owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations, and certain trusts and estates.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Taxpayers must have qualified business income (QBI) from a trade or business operated as a sole proprietorship, partnership, S corporation, or certain trusts and estates.
  • The deduction applies to QBI, qualified REIT dividends, and qualified publicly traded partnership (PTP) income.
  • For 2025, the deduction is available if your taxable income before the QBI deduction is $197,300 or less ($394,600 if married filing jointly).

How to Claim the Deduction

  • Use Form 8995 for a simplified computation if all eligibility criteria are met.
  • Use Form 8995-A for more complex situations or if you need to compute the deduction using detailed worksheets.
  • Report the deduction on Form 1040, Line 13a (for individuals) or Form 1040-NR, Line 13a (for nonresident aliens).

Important Notes

  • The deduction is not available for certain specified service trades or businesses (SSTBs) if the taxpayer’s income exceeds the threshold.
  • The deduction is limited to 20% of the taxpayer’s taxable income, not just QBI.
  • For more details, refer to the instructions for Form 8995 and Form 8995-A, which include worksheets and examples.

Source:
Instructions for Form 8995-A
Instructions for Form 8995
Instructions for Form 1040

Disclaimer: Always verify details with official IRS forms and instructions or consult with a tax professional. OLT (Online Taxes) provides guidance based on retrieved information but does not guarantee accuracy for individual circumstances.

Key Takeaways

  • Understanding tax deductions can significantly reduce your tax liability
  • Keep detailed records of all tax-related expenses and documents
  • Consult with a tax professional for complex situations

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