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Rubric Financial

Tax

Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction

A 20% deduction on qualified business income from passthrough entities, available to most small business owners.

Section 199A allows owners of partnerships, S-corps, and sole proprietorships to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income from their taxable income.

The deduction phases out for high-income owners in 'specified service trades or businesses' (SSTBs): health, law, accounting, consulting, and others. Below the phase-out thresholds (adjusted annually), QBI generally applies.

Common pitfalls

  • Owners over the SSTB threshold lose QBI entirely, a common outcome for high-income professionals
  • S-corp owners must coordinate W-2 wages and reasonable comp with QBI computation
  • Real-estate rental income may or may not qualify based on safe-harbor rules

Have a Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction situation in your business?

Federal, state, and local returns prepared and reviewed by a licensed CPA, with the planning done before year-end rather than after it.