Even if an S Corp has no income, it must file IRS Form 1120S annually to maintain compliance. Filing establishes a tax record, prevents IRS assumptions about tax liability, and avoids penalties. Business expenses can still be deducted, potentially resulting in a loss that carries forward.
Here are some of the top S corp tax savings tactics to consider: Set Reasonable Owner Wages. Shareholders in an S Corp are compensated in two ways: a salary and distributions. Employ Your Children. Max Out Retirement Plan Contributions. Rent Your Home. Home Office. Depreciation. Vehicles. Employee Benefits.
In the U.S., the largest payroll taxes are a 12.4 percent tax to fund Social Security and a 2.9 percent tax to fund Medicare, for a combined rate of 15.3 percent. Half of payroll taxes (7.65 percent) are remitted directly by employers, with the other half withheld from employees' paychecks.
One of the primary differences is that C corporations are taxed at the corporate level with double taxation, while S corporations file IRS Form 1120S, and profits, losses, deductions, and credits pass through the entity level without corporate taxes.