Publication 560
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008838Generally, you can deduct the contributions you make each year to each employee's SEP-IRA. If you are self-employed, you can deduct the contributions you make each year to your own
SEP-IRA.
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008839The most you can deduct for your contributions to you or your employee's SEP-IRA is the lesser of the following amounts.
- Your contributions (including any excess contributions carryover).
- 25% of the compensation (limited to $250,000 per participant) paid to the participants during 2012 from the business that has the plan, not to exceed $50,000 per
participant.
In 2013, the amounts in (2) above are $255,000 and $51,000, respectively.
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008841If you contribute to your own SEP-IRA, you must make a special computation to figure your maximum deduction for these contributions. When figuring the deduction for contributions made to your own SEP-IRA, compensation is your net earnings from self-employment (defined in chapter 1), which takes into account both the following deductions.
- The deduction for the deductible part of your self-employment
tax.
- The deduction for contributions to your own SEP-IRA.
The deduction for contributions to your own SEP-IRA and your net earnings depend on each other. For this reason, you determine the deduction for contributions to your own SEP-IRA indirectly by reducing the contribution rate called for in your plan. To do this, use the
Rate Table for Self-Employed
or the
Rate Worksheet for Self-Employed,
whichever is appropriate for your plan's contribution rate, in chapter 5. Then figure your maximum deduction by using the
Deduction Worksheet for Self-Employed
in chapter 5.
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008842If you made SEP contributions that are more than the deduction limit (nondeductible contributions), you can carry over and deduct the difference in later years. However, the carryover, when combined with the contribution for the later year, is subject to the deduction limit for that year. If you also contributed to a defined benefit plan or defined contribution plan, see
Carryover of Excess Contributions
under
Employer Deduction
in chapter 4 for the carryover limit.
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008843taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008844When you can deduct contributions made for a year depends on the tax year on which the SEP is maintained.
- If the SEP is maintained on a calendar year basis, you deduct the yearly contributions on your tax return for the year within which the calendar year
ends.
- If you file your tax return and maintain the SEP using a fiscal year or short tax year, you deduct contributions made for a year on your tax return for that
year.
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008845You are a fiscal year taxpayer whose tax year ends June 30. You maintain a SEP on a calendar year basis. You deduct SEP contributions made for calendar year 2012 on your tax return for your tax year ending June 30,
2013.
taxmap/pubs/p560-004.htm#en_us_publink10008846Deduct the contributions you make for your common-law employees on your tax return. For example, sole proprietors deduct them on Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business, or Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming; partnerships deduct them on Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income; and corporations deduct them on Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, or Form 1120S, U.S. Income Tax Return for an S
Corporation.
Sole proprietors and partners deduct contributions for themselves on line 28 of Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. (If you are a partner, contributions for yourself are shown on the Schedule K-1 (Form 1065), Partner's Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc., you receive from the
partnership.)
| Remember that sole proprietors and partners can't deduct as a business expense contributions made to a SEP for themselves, only those made for their common-law
employees. |