how will new tax law affect my attorney pass through income

by Abby Bayer 8 min read

How does the 21% tax rate affect law firms?

Feb 28, 2018 · Under the new law, there’s no special tax rate for pass-through income. During the legislative process, you may have heard talk about a 25% rate, but this didn’t come to pass. Owners pay the tax rate on pass-through income that they pay on their other income, such as salaries and bank interest.

How much can a married lawyer make and still be taxable?

Jun 14, 2018 · A single lawyer has $180,000 of flow-through income from a law firm and taxable income of $180,000. The lawyer has no other flow-through income. They will have a pass-through deduction of $10,890 rather than $36,000, because they are subject to the phase-out. The calculation is as follows: 180,000 – 157,500 = 22,500; 22,500/50,000 = .45; 1-.45 = .55

What is the pass-through deduction for a lawyer?

Pass-through owners who qualify can deduct up to 20% of their net business income from their income taxes, reducing their effective income tax rate by 20%. This deduction began in 2018 and is scheduled to last through 2025—that is, it will end on January 1, 2026, unless extended by Congress. Free Case Evaluation

How has the new tax law impacted estate planning?

Jan 24, 2018 · The 20% qualified business income deduction rules are stricter for lawyers. One highlight of the tax reform bill is the 20% reduction from taxable income that is “qualified business income” (QBI)....

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How is pass-through income taxed?

A pass-through business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, or S corporation that is not subject to the corporate income tax; instead, this business reports its income on the individual income tax returns of the owners and is taxed at individual income tax rates.

Who qualifies for the 20% pass-through deduction?

You Must Have Qualified Business Income Individuals who earn income through pass-through businesses may qualify to deduct from their income tax an amount equal to up to 20% of their "qualified business income" (QBI) from each pass-through business they own.

How does the pass-through tax deduction work?

“Pass-through” means that any profits or losses from operating the business are passed to the individual owners, who pay taxes on their returns. Most small businesses are operated in this way. A business owner must have positive taxable income to qualify for a pass-through deduction.Oct 18, 2021

What is the pass-through tax rate for 2020?

As a result, passthrough income can be taxed at the highest individual rate, which was 39.6% before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed. The new tax law reduces the top individual rate to 37% and allows a 20% deduction for passthrough income.

Do lawyers qualify for Qbi deduction?

Phase-out of 20% pass-through deduction The 20% qualified business income deduction begins to be phased out for lawyers and certain other professionals (accountants, medical professionals, consultants, athletes, etc.) who make over $157,500 (single filer) or $315,000 (filing jointly).

What is the Qbi threshold for 2021?

The qualified business income deduction (QBI) is a tax deduction that allows eligible self-employed and small-business owners to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income on their taxes. In general, total taxable income in 2021 must be under $164,900 for single filers or $329,800 for joint filers to qualify.

Is pass-through taxation good?

One of the main tax benefits of electing a pass-through business structure is avoiding double taxation. Business earnings are only taxed once, on the owner or shareholder's personal tax return. One of the first decisions every business owner makes is how to structure their business.Mar 17, 2022

What qualifies as a pass-through entity?

A pass-through entity (also known as flow-through entity) is a business structure in which business income is treated as personal income of the owners. It is used to avoid double taxation, when business income is subject to corporate tax and then to the owner's personal income.

Does pass-through income count as earned income?

Business Taxes Pass-through income is only subject to a single layer of income tax and is generally taxed as ordinary income up to the maximum 37 percent rate. However, certain pass-through income is eligible for a 20 percent deduction, which reduces the top tax rate to a maximum of 29.6 percent.

Is pass-through income considered earned income?

Pass-through income is a broader category, which includes passive income as well as certain types of earned income, like income earned through self-employment. There are income restrictions on who can claim the deduction, so consult a tax professional if you think you may be eligible.Sep 21, 2018

Is passthrough income earned income?

Pass-through income is primarily earned by high-income individuals. About 70 percent of partnership income accrues to the top 1 percent, compared to less than 50 percent of corporate dividends and 11 percent of wages. Pass-through businesses are responsible for a significant share of the tax gap.May 15, 2017

What is the 20% deduction for pass through businesses?

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 included a 20% deduction for “pass-through” businesses. This deduction was intended to provide a benefit to owners of flow-through entities that have an impact like the reduction in tax rates for C corporations.

What is taxable income?

Taxable income (reduce by net capital gain) of the taxpayer. The “combined qualified business income” of a taxpayer is determined for a taxable year. This amount is determined by combining the amounts of the deduction for each qualified business of the taxpayer.

What is a specified service trade?

Any trade or business involving the performance of services in the fields of health, law, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, consulting, athletics, financial services, or brokerage services are considered Specified Service Trades or Businesses.

What is pass through deduction on 1040?

The pass-through deduction is a personal deduction you may take on your Form 1040 whether or not you itemize. It is not an "above the line" deduction on the first page of Form 1040 that reduces your adjusted gross income (AGI). Moreover, the deduction only reduces income taxes, not Social Security or Medicare taxes.

What is the TCJA deduction?

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA"), the massive tax reform law that took effect in 2018, established a new tax deduction for owners of pass-through businesses. Pass-through owners who qualify can deduct up to 20% of their net business income from their income taxes, reducing their effective income tax rate by 20%.

How much can I deduct from my business income?

Individuals who earn income through pass-through businesses may qualify to deduct from their income tax an amount equal to up to 20% of their "qualified business income" ("QBI") from each pass-through business they own. (New IRC Sec. 199A.) QBI is the net income (profit) your pass-through business earns during the year. You determine this by subtracting all your regular business deductions from your total business income. QBI includes rental income so long as your rental activity qualifies as a business (as most do). It also includes income from publicly traded partnerships, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and qualified cooperatives.

What is the W2 wage limit?

For 2020, this applies if your taxable income is $326,600 to $426,600 if married filing jointly or $163,300 to $213,300 if single. In this event, only part of your deduction is subject to the W2 wage/property limit and the rest is based on 20% of your QBI. The phase-in range is $100,000 for marrieds, and $50,000 for singles. At the top of the range ($426,600 for marrieds, $213,300 for singles), your entire deduction is subject to the W2 wages/business property limit. If you have no W2 wages or business property , you get no deduction.

What is a sole proprietorship?

a sole proprietorship
. (a one-owner business in which the owner personally owns all the business assets) a partnership . an S corporation. a limited liability company (LLC), or. a limited liability partnership (LLP). For tax purposes, what distinguishes these types of businesses is that they pay no taxes themselves.

What is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act?

Virtually all taxpayers will be affected by the new tax reform law, introduced as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), that recently passed in November of 2017. The TCJA is primarily designed to provide tax cuts for businesses of all types, and it delivers on that goal. Businesses structured as a PTE— sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and S corporations—are generally favored. If there are winners and losers under the new law, then pass-through entities can count themselves among the winners.

What is QBI deduction?

The QBI deduction is available for owners of PTEs if the taxpayer’s tax able income (from all sources) does not exceed $157,500 or $315,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return (MFJ). Once a taxpayer’s income exceeds that threshold, then the QBI deduction is either phased out or subjected to additional tests.

Is business related entertainment deductible?

In the past, business related entertainment expenses were 50% deductible as a business expense. But no longer. However, business related dining expenses are still 50% deductible. So you may want to hold off on purchasing the Mets tickets and go to the sports bar instead.

Is HELOC interest deductible?

Interest paid on a home equity line of credit (HELOC) was tax deductible under the old law. This made it an attractive way to refinance student loans (and possibly eliminate its nondischargeability.) Also, the HELOC could have been used to pay business expenses, usually litigation costs on contingency matters.

How much can you deduct from your rental income?

If your short-term rental activity qualifies as a business for tax purposes, as most do, you may be eligible to deduct up to 20% of your net rental income from your income taxes. This is in addition to all your other rental-related deductions.

Can you deduct hobby income?

However, these deductible hobby expenses could not exceed hobby income. The TCJA completely removes the personal deduction for hobby expenses. This means that while the income from a rental activity classified as a hobby must be reported and tax paid, no expenses may be deducted.

Do short term hosts pay taxes?

Almost all short-term hosts pay income tax on their rental profits at their individual tax rates. The TCJA reduced individual income tax rates for almost all taxpayers. So you'll pay less tax on your profits in 2018 and later.

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Ptes vs C Corporations

Qualified Business Income Deduction

  • The QBI deduction is available for owners of PTEs if the taxpayer’s taxable income (from all sources) does not exceed $157,500 or $315,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return (MFJ). Once a taxpayer’s income exceeds that threshold, then the QBI deduction is either phased out or subjected to additional tests. For example, any PTE whose trade ...
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to Convert Or Not?

  • In certain situations, a conversion from a PTE to a C corporation may be advantageous under the TCJA. The deduction of state and local income, property, and sales taxes is limited to $10,000 for individuals; whereas C corporations can deduct state income taxes without limitation. Additionally, the cuts in the individual tax rates—including the 20 percent deduction on QBI—are …
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About The Author

  • Pat Butler, JD, CPA, Tax Senior Manager CBIZ & Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. Email: [email protected] | Phone: (612) 376-1243 Pat is a Tax Senior Manager in the Minneapolis office of CBIZ/Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. He is an attorney and certified public accountant with over 20 years of tax experience in both law and accounting. This experience enables him to effectivel…
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