Section 199A qualified business income deduction for pass-through entities — raised to 23% in 2026 under OBBBA. SSTB phase-in: $200K single / $400K joint. Includes W-2 wage / UBIA limitation for higher earners.
Detailed instructions, formula notes, and US-context guidance shown in the calculator above.
Disclaimer: Estimate only. Consult a qualified professional for decisions with major financial, legal, or health consequences.
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Calculator information
📋 How to use this calculator
- Enter total Qualified Business Income (QBI) from your pass-through entity.
- Enter your TOTAL taxable income BEFORE the QBI deduction (Form 1040 line 15).
- Select filing status — Single or Married Filing Joint.
- Toggle whether your business is a Specified Service Trade or Business (SSTB).
- Review your deduction at the new 23% rate (up from 20% in 2026).
- Note: SSTB phase-out applies above $200K single / $400K MFJ taxable income.
🧮 Section 199A QBI Deduction (2026, 23%)
Deduction = min(0.23 x QBI, 0.20 x Taxable_Income) x PhaseFactor (for SSTBs)
- QBI: net income from pass-through (sole prop, partnership, S-corp, certain rentals)
- 23% rate: raised by OBBBA from 20% in 2026, through at least 2028
- 20% cap: deduction cannot exceed 20% of taxable income (excluding capital gains)
- SSTB: Specified Service Trade/Business — law, health, accounting, consulting, financial services, etc.
- SSTB phase-out: $200K-$250K single, $400K-$500K MFJ taxable income range
Above the SSTB phase-out, non-SSTB businesses still qualify but face W-2 wage / UBIA limitation. Capital gains and dividends do NOT count as QBI. Reasonable S-corp salary reduces QBI dollar-for-dollar — there's a sweet spot to optimize. Real estate businesses may qualify via safe harbor (Notice 2019-7).
💡 Worked example: Sole prop consultant (non-SSTB), $120K QBI, $200K taxable
Given:- Filing status: Single
- QBI (consulting business): $120,000
- Other income (spouse W-2): $0 (single filer)
- Total taxable income before QBI: $200,000
- Non-SSTB (business consulting NOT a financial advice firm)
Steps:- QBI x 23% = $120,000 x 0.23 = $27,600
- 20% taxable income cap: $200,000 x 0.20 = $40,000
- $27,600 < $40,000 cap → no cap reduction
- Single threshold $200K → at the line, technically clears non-SSTB phase-in
- Deduction allowed: $27,600
- Federal tax savings at 24% bracket: $27,600 x 0.24 = $6,624
Result: $27,600 QBI deduction, $6,624 federal tax savings. Effective tax rate on this business income drops from 24% to 18.5%.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What businesses qualify for the QBI deduction?
Pass-through entities: sole proprietorships (Schedule C), partnerships (Form 1065 K-1 ordinary business income), S-corporations (Form 1120-S K-1), and some rental real estate (if meeting the §199A safe harbor: 250+ hours/year, separate books, etc.). C-corporations DO NOT qualify — they get the flat 21% corporate rate instead. Trusts and estates can pass QBI through to beneficiaries.
What's an SSTB and why does it matter?
Specified Service Trade or Business includes: health (doctors, dentists, nurses), law, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, athletics, consulting (broadly defined), financial services, brokerage, investment management, AND any business whose principal asset is the reputation/skill of one or more employees. SSTBs lose the deduction entirely above the phase-out top ($250K single / $500K MFJ). Engineering and architecture were specifically EXCLUDED from SSTB definition — they always qualify.
Does my S-corp salary count as QBI?
No. Your reasonable W-2 salary from your S-corp is wage income, NOT QBI. Only the PASS-THROUGH ordinary income on your K-1 (line 1) counts. There's planning tension: setting too high a salary reduces QBI; too low triggers IRS reasonable-compensation challenges. Many S-corp owners target 30-40% of net profit as salary, leaving 60-70% as QBI.
Above the SSTB phase-out, can I still claim the deduction for a non-SSTB?
Yes, but you face the W-2 wage / UBIA limitation. Deduction = lesser of (23% QBI) OR (50% of W-2 wages paid by the business) OR (25% of W-2 wages + 2.5% of unadjusted basis of qualified property). Sole props with no W-2 employees may get $0 above the phase-out — converting to S-corp to pay yourself wages restores the deduction. UBIA = original cost of depreciable property.
What if my business has a loss?
Negative QBI in one business offsets positive QBI in another (aggregation rules apply). Net negative QBI carries forward to reduce next year's QBI — does not generate a current-year deduction. A $50K loss in business A and $80K gain in business B gives net $30K QBI x 23% = $6,900 deduction. Pure loss year (no other QBI) carries the full loss forward.
📚 Sources & references
Last updated: May 23, 2026