Qualified Business Income Deduction

...discusses a new provision of the Internal Revenue Code, §199A, which provides a 20% deduction for qualified business income, qualified publicly traded partnership income, qualified REIT dividends, and income of, or received from, certain agricultural or horticultural cooperatives. The Portfolio describes the requirements that taxpayers must meet in order to qualify for the deduction, the complex rules that limit taxpayers’ eligibility for the deduction, and the many uncertainties that taxpayers and their advisers face in interpreting the statute.

" ... analyzes the issues relating to the deduction by an employer for a "reasonable allowance" under [section] 162(a) for compensation paid with regard to personal services rendered. It discusses in depth the factors applied in determining reasonableness, the necessity for the actual performance of services, situations where a deduction for reasonable compensation is not allowable, and other aspects of reasonable compensation. Various tax planning and controversy considerations also are discussed"--Portfolio description (p. iii).

This clearly written treatise is designed to make very accessible the complex subject of corporate taxation by using non-technical, straightforward language, charts, checklists, diagrams, and numerous examples to aid readers' understanding. The book starts with an introductory chapter that discusses the choice of business form; the general principle that corporate profits are subject to double taxation (once at the corporate level and again at the shareholder level); and the basics of anti-abuse rules, such as the step-transaction doctrine. Those anti-abuse rules are explored in more detail in a later chapter, as are proposals to partially or fully eliminate double taxation. The next several chapters are organized using a cradle-to-grave approach that traces the life cycle of a corporation, beginning with formation and capitalization and ending with corporate "death," liquidation. Between those events, the book discusses operational issues, including the capital structure of a corporation, distributions of cash or property, stock redemptions, and stock dividends. After corporate liquidations, the book explores more advanced topics, such as taxable stock or asset acquisitions; non-taxable corporate reorganizations and divisions; the carryover of tax attributes (such as net operating losses) following certain non-recognition transactions; and the treatment of corporate tax shelters. In addition, a chapter addresses the taxation of S corporations, which generally provides a single-tax paradigm. Understanding Corporate Taxation also includes discussion of relevant cases. It is designed to supplement any corporate tax casebook or to be used on its own.