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The Daily Insight

What is a master limited partnerships energy?

Author

John Thompson

Published Apr 02, 2026

Basically, a MLP is a limited partnership that is publicly traded on a given exchange. MLPs are often recognized for their tax benefits since they are pass-through entities that generally avoid corporate income tax at both state and federal levels since they are classified as partnerships.

Are limited partnerships taxed twice?

They may pay normal income tax on some portion of the income, while some portion may be taxed as capital gain. Thus, unlike in case of corporation, the income of a limited partnership is taxed only once; there is no double taxation.

How limited partnerships are taxed?

Limited partnerships do not pay income tax. Instead, they will “pass through” any profits or losses to partners. Each partner will include their share of a partnership’s income or loss on their tax return. A partnership is created when two or more persons join together in order to carry on business or trade.

Who are the partners in a master limited partnership?

A master limited partnership (MLP) is a company organized as a publicly traded partnership. MLPs combine a private partnership’s tax advantages with a stock’s liquidity. MLPs have two types of partners, the general—managers—and the limited—investors.

Can a master limited partnership be held in a Roth IRA?

Key Takeaways. Master limited partnerships (MLPs) often pay attractively high yields. You can hold MLP shares in a retirement account, such as a Roth IRA. But unlike other IRA investments, MLP income can be immediately taxable if it reaches $1,000 or more.

What makes an MLP different from a limited partnership?

MLPs are limited to the natural resources and real estate sectors. An MLP is treated as a limited partnership for tax purposes. A limited partnership has a pass-through, or flow-through, tax structure. This taxing method means that all profits and losses are passed through to the limited partners.

Why is Phillips 66 a master limited partnership?

Phillips 66 (PSX), which is one of America’s largest oil refiners and petrochemical manufacturers, owns a lot of midstream assets. In 2013 the company set up Phillip 66 Partners (PSXP) as an MLP in order to help it to grow and diversify its business away from volatile refining to better stabilize its long-term cash flows.