How does an S corporation get taxed?
James Craig
Published Apr 05, 2026
S-corporations are pass-through entities. That is, the corporation itself is not subject to federal income tax. Instead, the shareholders are taxed upon their allocated share of the income. Shareholders do not have to pay self-employment tax on their share of an S-corp’s profits.
How is taxable income calculated for an S Corp?
Divide the taxable income from IRS form 1120-S by the number of total shares. For each individual shareholder, multiply the result by the number of shares they hold. Complete Schedule K, which is the form the corporation must file to list how much income is attributable to each shareholder for the taxable year.
What is the effective tax rate for an S corp?
Small business partnerships faced an average effective tax rate of 23.6 percent, small business C corporations faced a 17.5 percent average effective tax rate, and small business S corporations faced an average effective tax rate of 26.9 percent.
S corp shareholders report income, gains, and losses from the corporation on their individual tax returns, and pay taxes at their ordinary income tax rates. Since the money comes to them free of corporate tax, o they avoid double taxation on any income or earnings.
Is an S corp tax exempt?
According to the IRS: Generally, an S corporation is exempt from federal income tax other than tax on certain capital gains and passive income. S Corporations have an advantage here, as they are taxed once. The corporate income, loss, credits, and deductions are “passed through” to shareholders for tax purposes.
How are S corporations reported on federal tax returns?
S corporations are corporations that elect to pass corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through to their shareholders for federal tax purposes. Shareholders of S corporations report the flow-through of income and losses on their personal tax returns and are assessed tax at their individual income tax rates.
What kind of taxes do S corporations pay?
S Corporations. S corporations are corporations that elect to pass corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through to their shareholders for federal tax purposes. Shareholders of S corporations report the flow-through of income and losses on their personal tax returns and are assessed tax at their individual income tax rates.
What kind of tax form do I need for S Corp?
If you’re electing S corp status as an LLC, you’ll need to file Form 8832, Entity Classification Election. Get a detailed breakdown of how to elect for S corp status with the IRS.
How are the shareholders of a corporation taxed?
For example, if the profits of the S corp are $100,000 and there are four shareholders, each with a 1/4 share, each shareholder would pay taxes on $25,000 in profits. As noted above, shareholders of corporations pay tax on the dividends they receive from the corporation, in addition to the income tax imposed on the corporation itself.