Reasonable Compensation Analysis
Protect your S-corp strategy with a defensible, IRS-compliant reasonable compensation (salary).
Overview
The IRS requires S-corporation owner-employees to pay themselves a 'reasonable' salary (reasonable compensation) before taking distributions. Set it too low and you risk a costly audit, back taxes, and penalties. Set it too high and you reduce the tax advantage of the S-corporation structure. Getting it right requires specialized, defensible analysis — not a guess.
How It Works
A Reasonable Compensation Analysis is a formal, documented study that establishes a defensible salary for S-corp owner-employees based on industry data, geographic market rates, and the specific services performed. The result is a compensation figure that withstands IRS scrutiny while preserving maximum tax efficiency.
What to Expect
Measurable Results
Is This Right for You?
Who Benefits Most
All S-corporation owners who pay themselves a salary. Essential for new S-corp conversions and for existing S-corps that have never had a formal compensation study conducted.
Our Process
Role & Responsibility Review
We document the specific services you perform for the business — the foundation of any compensation benchmark.
Market Data Analysis
We analyze industry compensation databases and geographic market data to establish a defensible salary range.
Written Report
We deliver a formal written report suitable for IRS examination, including methodology, data sources, and conclusions.
Annual Review
We help you stay compliant with the IRS recommended updating of the analysis annually or whenever your role, revenue, or business structure changes significantly.
Ready to See What You Could Save?
Most clients identify significant savings opportunities in their first conversation.