In: Accounting
Roquan, a single taxpayer, is an attorney and practices as a sole proprietor. This year, Roquan had net business income of $90,000 from his law practice. Assume that Roquan pays $40,000 wages to his employees, he has $10,000 of property (unadjusted basis of equipment he purchased last year), and has no capital gains or qualified dividends. His taxable income before the deduction for qualified business income is $100,000. (Leave no answer blank. Enter zero if applicable.)
Required:
Please use 2019 tax laws and explain your answer!
Part A
Legal services are classified as specific service or trade businesses, and thus are not considered to be "qualified trade or businesses" for qualified business income deduction. However, it can be observed that Roquan's taxable income (before the 20% deduction for qualified business income) is less than $157,500. Therefore, the condition regarding exclusion for specified service trades or business will not apply. Thus, Roquan is eligible to get deduction for qualified business income.
Roquan's deduction for qualified business income = 90000*20% = $18000
Qualified business income deduction cannot exceed:
50% of wages paid related to the qualified trade or businesses
Or
Total of 25% of wages paid related to the qualified trade or businesses and 2.5% of the unadjusted basis of all qualified property related to the qualified trade or businesses
This limits applies if taxable income exceeds $157,500 in case of single file and $315000 in case of joint filers.
Roquan taxable income being $100000, which is less than $157500, the wage-based limits does not apply to him. He is eligible to get full QBI deduction of $18000
Part B
Roquan's deduction for qualified business income = $0
Roquan taxable income being $300000, which is higher than $157500, the condition regarding exclusion for specified service trades or business will apply as legal service and thus would be considered a specified service or trade business, which is not considered to be "qualified trade or businesses" for qualified business income deduction. In short, Roquan will be considered to be engaged in specified service trades or business and thus not eligible for QBI deduction.