Free Tax Tool

QBI Owner Salary Sweet Spot Calculator

At higher incomes your Section 199A QBI deduction is limited by W-2 wages. This tool finds the S-Corp owner salary that maximizes your deduction without overpaying payroll tax. Want the full strategy? Read our guide to maximizing the QBI deduction as an S-Corp owner.
Your S-Corp income & wages
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Your allocated share of S-Corp profit flowing to your personal return, after your salary is paid out. In a multi-owner business, use your K-1 amount, not total company profit.

$

What the S-Corp pays you in W-2 wages. Enter your current salary or a working assumption.

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Your pro-rata share of W-2 wages paid to non-owner employees. In a multi-owner business, multiply total employee payroll by your ownership percentage (a 50% owner with $200k in employee wages enters $100k).

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Spouse's W-2, rental income, interest, other business income, and so on. Affects where you fall in the phase-out range.

Enter your S-Corp profit and salary on the left to see your sweet spot.
✓ Unlocked — your results are saved. Keep adjusting any input; everything updates live and stays unlocked.

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