
When an S corporation offers a shareholder-employee health insurance, the costs are included in gross wages, are subject to federal and state income taxes, and appear on the shareholder-employee’s Form W-2.
Can an S corporation pay for health insurance for shareholders?
For a health plan to be considered as established by the business, the S corporation must either pay the premiums covering the shareholder in the current tax year or reimburse the costs of premiums paid by the shareholder. The business must also include premiums paid in the wages section of the shareholder's Form W-2.
Do shareholders pay taxes on health insurance premiums?
This means that shareholder/employee must pay income tax on the premiums and also Medicare and Social Security tax on that amount. Also of note, if a shareholder had hoped to get around the rule by employing a spouse and providing that spouse with health insurance through the company, they are out of luck.
Can a shareholder deduct health insurance from AGI?
If the shareholder purchases the health insurance in their own name and pays for it personally, that shareholder would not be allowed a deduction from AGI.

How are S-corp shareholders deduct from health insurance?
Health and accident insurance premiums paid on behalf of a greater than 2-percent S corporation shareholder-employee are deductible by the S corporation and reportable as wages on the shareholder-employee's Form W-2, subject to income tax withholding.
How do I deduct S-corp shareholder health insurance on 1040?
Each 2% shareholder/employee, partner, and LLC member may take the deduction on Form 1040, line 29. If you were a more-than-2% shareholder/employee of an S corporation, the health insurance premiums paid on your behalf would be included in your gross wages on your W-2.
Is health insurance tax deductible for S-corp owner?
Specifically, S-corp owners can take a personal income tax deduction on the health insurance premiums paid by the business. For S-corp owners to qualify for the deduction, their health insurance policy must be established by the business and not by the S-corp owner personally.
Where do I deduct shareholder health insurance on 1120S?
The S corporation can deduct the cost of health premiums paid for 2% shareholders on its Form 1120S income tax return. Since the premiums are treated as additional compensation to the shareholders, the deduction should be taken on page 1, Line 7 (Compensation of officers) or Line 8 (Salaries and wages).
How is S-corp health insurance taxed?
S-corporations can provide health insurance as a tax-free benefit to their non-owner employees. This means the company offers group health insurance to employees and deducts the cost as a business expense, paying no taxes on the insurance premiums.
How do I record an S-corp shareholder for health insurance?
The health insurance premiums paid by the S corporation are reported on Form W-2, Box 14 S. This is the amount the shareholder deducts on page 1 of Form 1040, line 29 (Self- employed health insurance deduction)
Is shareholder health insurance taxable?
So, what is the 2% shareholder health insurance taxability? Contributions made to a shareholder-employee's health benefits plan are subject to state and federal income tax withholding. However, these contributions are not subject to Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes or unemployment tax.
How does S-corp handle health insurance on W-2?
3. Add health insurance costs to gross wages on your W-2. S corporation owners who participate in management are considered employees, which means they're issued a W-2 every January. In W-2 box one, gross wages include healthcare costs your S corp paid during the year.
Where does shareholder health insurance Go on K 1?
On Schedule K-1 for the shareholder, the company should note the amount of health insurance included in wages as “other information.” On Schedule K-1, Box 17, Code AD, the company can attach a footnote that reports the amount of SE premiums included in wages. Reporting on the Form 1040.
Is S-corp shareholder health insurance subject to FUTA?
The health insurance premiums paid on behalf of more-than-2% S corporation shareholder-employees are deductible and reportable by the S corporation as wages, the payments are included in the shareholder's wages for income tax purposes, and the benefits are not subject to Social Security or Medicare (FICA) or ...
Are health insurance premiums tax deductible for corporations?
Tax-Deductibility of Employer's Premium Contributions Employer premium contributions for employees and their opposite-sex spouses and tax dependents are 100% deductible as business expenses under federal and state tax law. This is true regardless of business type-sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, corporation, etc.
Are health insurance premiums tax deductible?
If you buy health insurance through the federal insurance marketplace or your state marketplace, any premiums you pay out of pocket are tax-deductible. If you are self-employed, you can deduct the amount you paid for health insurance and qualified long-term care insurance premiums directly from your income.
What is an S corporation?
An S corporation purchases a health plan in its own name that covers Bob, his spouse, and his children. The company makes all premium payments and reports these premiums as part of Bob's Form W-2 wages. Bob reports the total amount as gross income on his Form 1040 for that year.
Who purchases health insurance policy?
A member, partner, employee, or 2 percent shareholder purchases a health insurance policy in his or her own name, but the business makes the premium payments. These payments are reported by the business in the same way as in the first situation. A member, partner, employee , or 2 percent shareholder purchases a health insurance policy ...
Can Kelly deduct insurance premiums?
This plan has been established by the company and Kelly can deduct its costs. Chris buys an insurance policy in his own name and pays the premiums, which are reimbursed in full by the S corporation. These payments are reported by the company on the W-2 and by Chris on his 1040.
Do you have to report health insurance premiums on W-2?
Shareholders that own less than 2 percent of the business do not have to report health insurance paid by ...
Does Kelly have health insurance?
Kelly purchases a health insurance policy in her own name, but the S corporation pays all the premiums. These costs are reported by the company on Kelly's W-2 and as part of her gross income for the year. This plan has been established by the company and Kelly can deduct its costs.
Can you deduct S corp health insurance premiums?
S corp shareholder health insurance premiums can be deducted for those shareholders who own more than 2 percent of the S corp. The IRS rules for employee fringe benefits dictate that an S corp is treated as a partnership and that any shareholder of at least 2 percent qualifies as a partner. This includes anyone who has owned at least 2 percent ...
What is S corp owner health insurance?
S corp owner health insurance is an issue that owners with this type of business entity need to think about. While many employees are accustomed to getting their insurance through their employers, if an employee is also a shareholder in the business, then it gets more complex (and potentially expensive).
How did the Affordable Care Act affect S corporations?
The Affordable Care Act’s Effect on S Corporations. The Affordable Care Act or ACA, brought enormous changes to employer-provided healthcare plans. Plans for S corporations were already complex, but the ACA added a new wrinkle. It established new parameters that employee-provided group insurance plans must meet.
What are the ACA provisions?
The ACA provisions must be met by the employer or face penalties or excise taxes. These provisions include the type of coverage provided and the cost of health insurance premiums. The excise taxes assessed when failing to meet the ACA standards can be very steep. If an S corp only has one employee or if a second employee is a spouse or dependent, ...
Can a shareholder take a 2% offset?
There are exceptions to the 2% shareholder offset rule: The deduction must be less than the shareholders income from that S corporation. The shareholder cannot take the deduction if they are able to participate in another health plan from an employer (or even a spouse’s employer).
Do S corporations pay for health insurance?
Many S corporations have shifted to a direct pay model for health insurance. Instead of providing health insurance to their employees, they increase the compensation of their employees to allow them to acquire health insurance. Seeking professional help from an experienced tax professional or lawyer is always recommended.
Can an S corp deduct health insurance premiums?
One drawback to the S corporation is that employee/owners cannot deduct the cost of health insurance from taxes. While an S corp has pass through taxation, like many other forms of tax elections, in respect to health insurance premiums, the law gets more complex. S corps have complicated issues with health insurance premiums paid ...
Is health insurance taxable if you own a S corp?
No. Unfortunately, even though there are many benefits to owning your own S Corporation, getting tax-free health insurance for yourself is not one of them . If you own more than 2% of your business on any given day of the year and your business pays for your health insurance, then the money paid for your insurance is considered taxable income.
Can you provide health insurance to non-owners?
Additionally, you can also provide health insurance to any of your non-owner and non-family employees as a tax-free fringe benefit to them. (Fringe benefits are benefits offered to employees in addition to wages.) You can do this by offering a group health insurance policy to employees and then deducting the cost of that health insurance as ...
Is health insurance included in W-2?
Your health insurance premiums paid by your business are included in your gross wages on your W-2. You obtain an accident and health insurance policy in your own name to cover you and your family. You pay all of the premiums and keep records of your payments.
Can you deduct health insurance on W-2?
So, on your Form W-2, this should be included as gross wages. You cannot take the deduction if you are able to receive health insurance coverage through another employer, including your spouse’s employer. Here are four examples of what this looks like in the real world:
Can S corp health insurance be deducted?
Health insurance premiums paid by an S Corp for more than 2% shareholders must be treated as wages to that owner. In other words, the only way an S Corp can deduct the amount paid for shareholder health insurance is to include it as part of the shareholder’s salary; the owner’s health insurance can no longer be called an insurance expense ...
Can a shareholder deduct health insurance premiums?
The shareholder-employee may be eligible to deduct the medical insurance premiums from their Adjusted Gross Income (“AGI”) on their 1040 income tax return. It gets more confusing. Some states have insurance laws that don’t allow a one-employee corporation to purchase health insurance for the owner.
Can a shareholder deduct medical premiums on 1040?
IRS Notice 2008-1 says that in order for a shareholder to be eligible to deduct the medical premium from their AGI on their 1040, the corporation must either a) pay the health insurance provider directly, or b ) reimburse the shareholder and be able to prove reimbursement.
Can I take AGI deduction on 1040?
Just to make it even more convoluted, if the shareholder or their spouse is eligible to participate in any other subsidized health care plan, then they cannot take a deduction from AGI on their 1040 for the medical insurance paid by the S Corp .
Why do you need an S corporation?
Forming an S corporation to run your business provides several tax advantages. Chief among these is the opportunity to lower your Social Security and Medicare taxes. However, when it comes to deducting the cost of health insurance for you and your family, an S corporation is not always so great.
Do you have to pay taxes on insurance premiums?
And you don't have to pay any tax on the amount of the insurance premiums because they qualify as a tax-free employee fringe benefit. However, when you elect S corporation tax status for your corporation, special tax rules come into play.
Do you have to include health insurance premiums on W-2?
The amount of the premiums must be included in your employee wages on your annual Form W-2, and you must include the amount as wages on your Form 1040. Your S corporation deducts the amount as employee compensation on its own return. You must pay income tax on the health insurance premium payments made by your S corporation.
Is health insurance a business deduction?
This is not a business deduction. It is a special personal deduction you take on the first page of your Form 1040 as self-employed health insurance.
Can a C corporation provide health insurance?
Ordinarily, when you form a corporation to own and operate your business, you'll work as its employee. If you form a regular "C" corporation, your corporation can provide you with health insurance as an employee fringe benefit and deduct the cost as a business expense.
Can you deduct health insurance premiums if you purchase it yourself?
Thus, if your purchase your policy yourself, you must have your S corporation reimburse you for the cost.
Why did Jane and Justin decline health insurance?
She declined coverage because Justin’s plan offered greater benefits. They cannot take a deduction for the premiums paid in the last six months of the year.
Is a class of employees subject to FICA?
The amount is subject to federal income tax withholding. It is not subject to FICA and FUTA taxes if the payments are made under a plan for employees generally or for a class (or classes) of employees. There is no definition of a class of employees, and there is no requirement that the class not be discriminatory.
Is health insurance taxable on W-2?
The cost of health insurance premiums paid by an employer is usually excluded from taxable income on the employee’s W-2. A more than 2% shareholder of an S corporation is not eligible for this exclusion. However, with health Insurance for S Corporation 2% shareholders, the 2% shareholder may be able to deduct the cost of ...
Is 100% of health insurance premiums deductible on W-2?
100% of the cost of health insurance premiums paid by the corporation and included in the 2% shareholder’s W-2 can be taken as an above-the-line deduction on the shareholder’s Form 1040, subject to two limitations:
Can a 2% shareholder take a deduction for health insurance?
The deduction is not allowed for calendar months in which the 2% shareholder or their spouse is eligible to participate in another employer-subsidized health insurance plan. The deduction cannot exceed the taxpayer’s earned income derived from the trade or business that provides the health insurance plan. S corporation shareholders treat their ...
