S Corp Owner Medical Expenses - Can They Be Business Expenses and W-2 Reporting Requirements?

This is a good question about S Corps and medical benefits! As a single-member S Corp owner, you have some specific rules to follow. Medical expenses for an S Corp owner (who owns more than 2% of the company) cannot simply be treated as a business expense like they would for regular employees. However, there is a process that can still benefit you tax-wise. Your S Corp can pay for your health insurance premiums, and these should be reported as wages on your W-2. This means they're subject to income tax, but not FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare). Then, you can take a self-employed health insurance deduction on your personal tax return (Form 1040), which offsets the income tax on those benefits. For other medical expenses beyond insurance (like co-pays, prescriptions, etc.), these generally cannot be paid directly by the S Corp as a business expense - they would either need to be part of a qualified health reimbursement arrangement or simply paid personally from your own funds.

After struggling with exactly this issue last year, I found an amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that specifically helped me navigate S Corp owner health benefits. I was so confused about what medical expenses could be run through my S Corp and what needed to be on my W-2. Their service analyzed my situation and showed me exactly how to properly document health insurance premiums vs. other medical costs. They even provided templates for the corporate minutes I needed to officially establish my medical reimbursement policy. Saved me hours of research and probably prevented some costly mistakes!

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai that was mentioned above. I was super skeptical but decided to try it out with my S Corp medical expense questions. It was WAY more helpful than I expected! I uploaded my incorporation docs, prior year tax return, and health insurance policy, and it gave me step-by-step instructions for handling everything properly. Even pointed out that I could establish an ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) which my regular accountant never mentioned. Turns out this option works way better for my situation than what I was doing before. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with S Corp health benefits!

If you're trying to reach the IRS to clarify any of this S Corp medical expense stuff, good luck! I spent 3 WEEKS trying to get through to someone who could answer my questions. Their hold times are insane right now. I eventually used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 30 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent walked me through exactly how to report my S Corp health insurance on my W-2 and what documentation I needed to keep. They also confirmed that certain medical expenses can be reimbursed through a QSEHRA if set up correctly. Saved me from making a mistake that probably would have triggered an audit.

Ok I have to admit I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate for answers about my S Corp medical reimbursements. It actually worked exactly as promised. I was connected to an IRS representative in about 20 minutes (way faster than the 2+ hours I spent on my previous attempts). The agent confirmed that my health insurance premiums need to be included on my W-2 but explained exactly how to code them so they're not subject to FICA taxes. For anyone dealing with S Corp medical expense questions, getting official clarification directly from the IRS was super helpful. Definitely worth it to not spend half my day on hold.

Another option worth considering is setting up a QSEHRA (Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement) for your S Corp. This is specifically designed for small employers (which includes S Corps with just one employee-owner). With a QSEHRA, your S Corp can reimburse you for medical expenses and insurance premiums up to certain annual limits ($5,850 for individual coverage and $11,800 for family coverage in 2023). These reimbursements are tax-free to you and tax-deductible for the business. The paperwork requires some setup, but it's a cleaner solution than running everything through your W-2.

Quick question - does anyone know if dental and vision expenses are treated the same way as medical for S Corp owners? My dentist is suggesting some expensive work and I'm trying to figure out the most tax-efficient way to pay for it.

I went through this exact same situation when I first set up my S Corp! The key thing to remember is that as a >2% shareholder, you're treated differently than regular employees when it comes to health benefits. Here's what I learned the hard way: If your S Corp pays your health insurance premiums directly, those premiums MUST be included as taxable wages on your W-2 (though they're exempt from FICA taxes). Then you can deduct them on your personal return using the self-employed health insurance deduction on Form 1040. For other medical expenses (copays, prescriptions, etc.), your S Corp generally can't just pay these as business expenses. You'd need to either pay them personally or set up a formal health reimbursement arrangement like a QSEHRA. One mistake I made initially was trying to run random medical expenses through the business without proper documentation - my accountant had to clean that up later. Make sure you keep detailed records and follow the proper procedures! The good news is that once you get the system set up correctly, it can actually save you money compared to paying everything with after-tax dollars personally.

Great thread! I'm dealing with similar S Corp medical expense questions right now. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're also considering state tax implications. Some states don't follow the federal treatment of S Corp health insurance premiums, so you might need to make adjustments on your state return. Also, regarding the timing - if you're setting up health insurance or a QSEHRA for this year, you generally need to have it established before the end of the tax year for it to be deductible. Don't wait until you're preparing your tax return to figure this out! I learned this lesson when I tried to retroactively claim health insurance premiums I had paid personally - the IRS requires that the S Corp actually pay the premiums during the tax year, not reimburse you later. The documentation trail matters a lot for audit purposes. For anyone just starting out with an S Corp, I'd recommend getting this health benefit structure sorted out early in the year rather than scrambling at tax time like I did my first year.