How to report QSBS Gain exclusion from Partnership K-1 on Schedule D / Form 8949?
I recently received a K-1 from a partnership that's reporting long-term capital gains. Some portion of it qualifies for the 100% QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock) exclusion, which is shown on Box 11 with Code O on the K-1. I'm a bit confused about the proper way to report this on my tax return. Do I: 1. Just report the net amount (total LTCG minus the QSBS exclusion) on Schedule D line 12? 2. List the partnership with QSBS exclusion on Form 8949 and make the adjustment to the LTCG in columns (f) and (g), similar to how you'd handle QSBS received directly rather than through a partnership? 3. Is there another method I'm missing completely? This is my first time dealing with QSBS gains through a partnership structure, and I want to make sure I'm reporting it correctly to avoid any issues with the IRS. The gain amount is about $237,000 and the QSBS exclusion is approximately $158,000 if that helps. Thanks!
20 comments


Aidan Percy
You'll want to follow option 2. When you receive QSBS gain through a partnership, you still need to document the exclusion properly on Form 8949, even though you didn't directly own the qualified small business stock yourself. Here's how to handle it: List the transaction on Form 8949 Part II (for long-term gains) with the full gain amount. Then in column (f), enter the amount of the QSBS exclusion as a negative number, and use code "Q" in column (g) to indicate this is a QSBS exclusion. This properly documents both the full gain and the exclusion. The partnership's K-1 Box 11 Code O amount tells you exactly how much of the gain qualifies for the QSBS exclusion. Make sure to keep a copy of your K-1 with your tax records as supporting documentation for this exclusion.
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Fernanda Marquez
•Thanks for this info! Quick follow-up question - do you need to attach any additional forms besides the 8949 when claiming the QSBS exclusion through a K-1? Also, does the holding period requirement still apply when you get QSBS through a partnership or is that already handled at the partnership level?
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Aidan Percy
•You don't need any additional forms beyond Form 8949 and Schedule D when claiming the QSBS exclusion from a K-1. The partnership has already done the work of determining which portion of your gain qualifies for the exclusion, so you can rely on the amount they've provided in Box 11 Code O. The holding period requirement (5+ years) has already been satisfied at the partnership level. If they're reporting it as qualifying for the QSBS exclusion, it means they've already verified all the Section 1202 requirements including the holding period, so you don't need to track or verify this yourself.
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Norman Fraser
Let me share my experience with this exact situation. I was super confused when I first got a K-1 with QSBS exclusions. After hours of research and frustration, I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my K-1 and partnership documents. The system instantly recognized the QSBS exclusion issue and provided step-by-step guidance. What I learned is that you need to list it on Form 8949 with the adjustment in column (f) as a negative number to offset the gain, with code "Q" in column (g). The tool explained that this properly documents both the full gain amount and the exclusion for IRS purposes, which is important in case of an audit. It even showed me exactly how to input this in popular tax software which was super helpful.
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Kendrick Webb
•How exactly does this taxr.ai thing work? Do you upload your K-1 and it tells you what to do? I'm dealing with a similar situation but have multiple K-1s with different types of income including some QSBS gains. Would it work for more complex situations?
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Hattie Carson
•I'm skeptical about using any AI for complex tax situations like QSBS exclusions. How accurate is it really? The IRS rules around qualified small business stock are super specific and there are a ton of technical requirements. Did you verify what it told you with an actual tax professional?
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Norman Fraser
•You upload your tax documents (K-1s, prior returns, etc.) and it analyzes everything using language models specifically trained on tax rules. It handles complex situations really well, including multiple K-1s with different types of income. It will identify each income type and give specific instructions for each. I actually did verify with my CPA afterward, and they confirmed everything was correct. They were impressed with how accurate the guidance was, especially for the technical QSBS rules. The system understands all the Section 1202 requirements and applies them correctly based on your specific situation. It's designed by tax professionals who built in all the proper rules.
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Kendrick Webb
Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai for my QSBS reporting issue. It was actually super helpful! I uploaded my partnership K-1 that had the QSBS exclusion in Box 11 and some supporting documents, and it immediately spotted the issue. It showed me exactly how to report it on Form 8949 with the proper adjustment code. What surprised me was how it explained the reasoning behind each step. I learned that the partnership already validated the 5-year holding period and other Section 1202 requirements, so I just needed to properly document the exclusion. The system even caught that one of my partnerships hadn't properly coded the QSBS gain in Box 11 and explained how to follow up with them. Definitely saved me hours of research and potential mistakes!
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Destiny Bryant
If anyone is struggling to get answers directly from the IRS about QSBS reporting, I had success using https://claimyr.com to connect with an IRS agent. I was on hold for HOURS trying to get clarification about reporting partnership QSBS gains, but Claimyr got me through to an actual IRS representative in about 40 minutes. You can see how it works in this demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed that Form 8949 is the proper place to report QSBS exclusions from partnerships, and they explained exactly how to code it. Having that official confirmation directly from the IRS gave me peace of mind that I wasn't misinterpreting the instructions. Worth every penny since my QSBS exclusion was substantial, and getting it wrong could potentially trigger an audit.
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Dyllan Nantx
•How does Claimyr actually work? Do they just call the IRS for you or what? I'm confused about the service. And isn't everything the IRS tells you over the phone non-binding anyway? I've heard horror stories about getting different answers from different agents.
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TillyCombatwarrior
•This sounds like a scam honestly. Why would I pay someone to call the IRS for me? And how could they possibly get through faster than I could on my own? The IRS phone system is notoriously terrible for everyone. I'm extremely skeptical that this is anything but a waste of money.
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Destiny Bryant
•They use technology to navigate the IRS phone system and secure your place in line, then call you when an agent is about to be connected. You talk directly to the IRS agent yourself - they just handle the waiting part. It saved me about 2 hours of hold time. While it's true that phone advice isn't legally binding, getting confirmation on form requirements is different from complex tax interpretations. The agent verified the specific form, line numbers, and adjustment codes for QSBS reporting, which is procedural information they're trained to provide. I also requested that they note our conversation in my account for future reference, which they did.
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TillyCombatwarrior
I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After struggling with QSBS reporting questions for weeks and not being able to get through to the IRS, I decided to try the service despite my skepticism. It actually worked exactly as described - they navigated the IRS phone tree, waited on hold, and then connected me directly with an agent when they reached the front of the queue. The agent was incredibly helpful about reporting my partnership QSBS exclusion, confirming I needed to use Form 8949 with code "Q" for the adjustment. What really surprised me was how knowledgeable the IRS agent was about QSBS rules - they even directed me to a specific publication with additional guidance. Total game-changer compared to my previous attempts to get through.
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Anna Xian
One thing to be careful about with QSBS gains from partnerships - make sure the partnership actually qualified for Section 1202 treatment! I got burned last year when my partnership reported QSBS exclusions, but during an audit, it turned out the underlying business didn't meet all the active business requirements under Section 1202(e). The partnership needs to be engaged in a qualified trade or business, meet the gross asset test ($50 million limit), and satisfy other technical requirements. If the partnership incorrectly classified the gain as QSBS-eligible, you could be on the hook regardless of how you reported it.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•How would you even verify if the partnership's classification is correct? Would you need to ask them for documentation proving they meet all the Section 1202 requirements? Or is it the partnership's responsibility if they coded it as QSBS on the K-1?
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Anna Xian
•You should request documentation from the partnership showing how they determined the QSBS eligibility. Ask specifically for their analysis of the Section 1202 requirements - the gross asset test documentation, business classification verification, and verification of the 5+ year holding period. While the partnership is primarily responsible for properly coding the K-1, the IRS can still disallow your exclusion if the underlying requirements weren't met. My partnership had documentation but hadn't properly evaluated if their business activities qualified under Section 1202(e). During my audit, this became my problem too. A good partnership should have detailed supporting documentation they can provide upon request.
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Rajan Walker
Has anyone used TurboTax to report QSBS exclusions from a K-1? I'm trying to figure out where exactly to enter this and if TurboTax can handle it properly. The software seems confused when I try to enter the QSBS exclusion code.
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Nadia Zaldivar
•TurboTax actually does handle this, but it's not obvious where to find it. When you enter your K-1 information, after you input all the standard K-1 items, there's a section for "Additional Information." In that section, you should see options for various codes from Box 11, including Code O for QSBS exclusions. Once you select that, TurboTax will walk you through creating the proper entry on Form 8949 with the adjustment. If you can't find it, try searching for "QSBS" or "Section 1202" in the TurboTax search box.
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Ethan Wilson
I went through this exact same situation last year with my partnership K-1 showing QSBS gains. The key thing to remember is that you absolutely need to report the full gain amount on Form 8949 first, then show the exclusion as an adjustment - don't just net it out on Schedule D. Here's what worked for me: On Form 8949 Part II, I listed the partnership as the source, entered the full long-term capital gain amount, then in column (f) I put the QSBS exclusion amount as a negative number (so if your exclusion is $158,000, you'd enter -158000). In column (g), use code "Q" to indicate it's a QSBS exclusion. The partnership has already verified all the Section 1202 requirements including the 5-year holding period and active business tests, so you can rely on their Box 11 Code O amount. Just make sure to keep your K-1 as supporting documentation. With your gain of $237,000 and exclusion of $158,000, you'll end up with $79,000 of taxable long-term capital gain flowing to Schedule D.
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Nia Davis
•This is really helpful, thank you! I'm new to dealing with partnership K-1s and the QSBS exclusion rules seemed overwhelming at first. Your step-by-step breakdown makes it much clearer. Just to confirm I understand correctly - the $158,000 exclusion amount should appear as "-158000" in column (f) of Form 8949, and then the net $79,000 will automatically flow through to Schedule D line 12? Also, do you know if there are any state tax implications I should be aware of, or does this exclusion only apply at the federal level?
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