09/02/2026
The 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction is now permanent under OBBBA — and if you run an S-corp, your salary quietly controls how much of it you actually get. Below the income threshold, you take the full 20%, simple. Above the threshold, the deduction is limited by W-2 wages, including the salary you pay yourself. That creates a real tension: a higher salary can support a bigger QBI deduction but costs you payroll tax, while a lower salary saves payroll tax but can shrink QBI. Service businesses face a harder ceiling. Above the threshold, there's a salary that optimizes the whole picture — worth modeling before you set year-end pay. Read more: geigertax.com/blog/qbi-deduction-s-corp-salary-optimization-2026
General info, not tax advice — talk to a preparer about your situation.