If you own an S Corporation, you must file Form 1120S every year to report the income and expenses of your small business. The purpose of this article is to help you properly report all the legitimate expenses you are entitled to take. Like any business owner, you are in business to make a profit. But you also don't want to pay more tax than required, so read on to make sure you know where to report expenses on Form 1120S.
Form 1120S has three places for you to report your expenses:
1. Schedule A, Cost of Goods Sold. If you sell a product and maintain an inventory, you must calculate your cost of goods sold. Form 1120S provides a special section to do this calculation; it's called Schedule A, and it's found on Page 2. This is not an overly complicated schedule, but it must be done right, or you can come up with the wrong amount for what is often the biggest expense for many businesses that sell a product.
After you complete Schedule A, the amount from line 8 of Schedule A must be transferred to line 2 of page 1. Of course, if you don't sell any product, you can ignore Schedule A.
2. Deductions. This section is located on page 1, lines 7-18. This is where you deduct many of the most common expenses found in any business. There are 12 expense categories for you to start with: compensation of officers, salaries and wages, repairs and maintenance, bad debts, rents, taxes and licenses, interest, depreciation, depletion, advertising, pension and profit-sharing plans, and employee benefit plans.
3. Other deductions. The deduction section described above only offers 12 expense categories. Perhaps you are thinking, "Only 12 expenses! I know my business has many more expenses than that. In fact, most of my business expense categories aren't even listed on lines 7-18 of page 1." If that's you, do not despair. You are not alone, and your situation is quite common. That's why page 1 has line 19, "Other deductions." This is where you get to list all other business deductions on a separate schedule. The total from that schedule is then transferred to page 1, line 19.
Here are some of the most common business deductions that you'll likely include on the "Other deductions" schedule: automobile and truck expenses, bank charges, consulting fees, credit and collection costs, delivery, discounts, dues and subscriptions, equipment rent, insurance, janitorial, laundry and cleaning, legal and professional fees, miscellaneous, office expenses, parking fees and tolls, postage, printing, sales and promotion expenses, security, small tools and equipment, supplies, telephone, utilities.
You will likely have many other categories to include on this schedule. When it comes to reporting deductions, be sure sure to include every legitimate expense you are entitled to write off.
Form 1120S has three places for you to report your expenses:
1. Schedule A, Cost of Goods Sold. If you sell a product and maintain an inventory, you must calculate your cost of goods sold. Form 1120S provides a special section to do this calculation; it's called Schedule A, and it's found on Page 2. This is not an overly complicated schedule, but it must be done right, or you can come up with the wrong amount for what is often the biggest expense for many businesses that sell a product.
After you complete Schedule A, the amount from line 8 of Schedule A must be transferred to line 2 of page 1. Of course, if you don't sell any product, you can ignore Schedule A.
2. Deductions. This section is located on page 1, lines 7-18. This is where you deduct many of the most common expenses found in any business. There are 12 expense categories for you to start with: compensation of officers, salaries and wages, repairs and maintenance, bad debts, rents, taxes and licenses, interest, depreciation, depletion, advertising, pension and profit-sharing plans, and employee benefit plans.
3. Other deductions. The deduction section described above only offers 12 expense categories. Perhaps you are thinking, "Only 12 expenses! I know my business has many more expenses than that. In fact, most of my business expense categories aren't even listed on lines 7-18 of page 1." If that's you, do not despair. You are not alone, and your situation is quite common. That's why page 1 has line 19, "Other deductions." This is where you get to list all other business deductions on a separate schedule. The total from that schedule is then transferred to page 1, line 19.
Here are some of the most common business deductions that you'll likely include on the "Other deductions" schedule: automobile and truck expenses, bank charges, consulting fees, credit and collection costs, delivery, discounts, dues and subscriptions, equipment rent, insurance, janitorial, laundry and cleaning, legal and professional fees, miscellaneous, office expenses, parking fees and tolls, postage, printing, sales and promotion expenses, security, small tools and equipment, supplies, telephone, utilities.
You will likely have many other categories to include on this schedule. When it comes to reporting deductions, be sure sure to include every legitimate expense you are entitled to write off.