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Level 3
September 25, 2024
Question

Solo 401(k) Entries

  • September 25, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 5 views

My client has two Schedule C businesses. One of the businesses was quite profitable last year, the other barely. He is setting up a Solo 401(k) in the name of the profitable business and that business can, by the numbers, make the maximum retirement contribution including catchup. However, the Diagnostics indicates the program is including net income from both businesses for purposes of calculating the retirement contribution. How do I instruct the program to only take into account the net income from the one business (i.e., don't combine the two businesses) for purposes of the retirement contribution?

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    1 reply

    sjrcpa
    Level 15
    September 26, 2024

    I think there are commonly controlled entity rules that prevent that.

    And/or affiliated service group rules that also prevent that.

    Generally, each business has to be covered by the plan.

    The more I know the more I don’t know.
    GLReneauAuthor
    Level 3
    September 26, 2024

    I think that's true. If commonly controlled, it appears the plan needs to take into account both businesses when calculating if under common control. What is a bit confusing is Diagnostics:

    • The taxpayer's self-employed retirement plan deduction (Keogh, SEP, SIMPLE) was computed using the taxpayer's net self-employment income from all sources. The data indicates that the taxpayer may have self-employment income from more than one source. Net earnings from self-employment for purposes of computing the maximum SE retirement plan deduction may need to be adjusted to reflect the earnings of the business (or businesses) under which the retirement plan is established. Input fields are provided in the Schedule C, Schedule F, Partnership, S Corporation, Contracts and Straddles, Miscellaneous Income, and Adjustments to Income screens allowing you to exclude the earnings of certain activities from the SE retirement plan income base.

    This may be the program saying "check to see if the Schedule C businesses are under common control as if they're not, you'll want to ignore the Schedule C's that aren't for purposes of calculating the contribution to the Solo 401(k), not sure. If anyone has insight on this, it would be appreciated.

    sjrcpa
    Level 15
    September 26, 2024

    "This may be the program saying "check to see if the Schedule C businesses are under common control as if they're not, you'll want to ignore the Schedule C's that aren't for purposes of calculating the contribution to the Solo 401(k)"

    I agree

    The more I know the more I don’t know.