How Much Should You Pay Yourself as an S Corp Owner?
How Much Should You Pay Yourself as an S Corp Owner?  
Podcast: Small Business Tax Savings Podcast
Published On: Wed Aug 05 2026
Description: Paying yourself the lowest possible S Corp salary might save taxes today, but it could create a much bigger tax bill later.In this episode, Mike explains how to determine a reasonable S Corp salary based on your role, hours, local market wages, business profit, and cash flow. He also breaks down payroll timing, salary adjustments, documentation, and how to protect your S Corp tax savings while staying compliant with IRS rules.👉Find out how much your business could save in taxes.TaxSavingsPodcast.com/scorecard 🚀 Book your free demo call today. Click here or visit:https://taxelm.com/demo/Chapters:(01:00) What Is Reasonable Compensation?An S Corp owner who actively works in the business must receive a reasonable W-2 salary based on what the business would pay someone else to perform the same work.(03:05) The Goal Is a Defensible, Documented SalaryA reasonable salary shouldn’t be unnecessarily high or aggressively low. It should be supported by a clear process and adjusted as the business changes.(04:05) Factors That Determine an S Corp SalaryThe owner’s responsibilities, hours, industry, location, role in generating revenue, company profit, cash flow, and stage of growth all affect reasonable compensation.(05:40) The Percentage Method and 40/60 SplitUsing 40% to 50% of business profit as salary can provide a starting point, but a percentage alone doesn’t replace a complete reasonable compensation analysis.(07:00) Using Market Wages and Replacement CostBreaking the owner’s work into technical, sales, marketing, and administrative duties can help calculate a salary using local market rates for each role.(10:05) Comparing Salary to Business ProfitReasonable compensation must also make sense in relation to the company’s profit, the owner’s involvement, available cash flow, and whether money is being distributed or reinvested.(11:05) How Often Should an S Corp Owner Run Payroll?Monthly or biweekly payroll is generally recommended, with a review later in the year to make any necessary adjustments or catch-up payments.(13:15) How to Document Reasonable CompensationKeep a written salary analysis, description of duties, estimated hours, market-wage data, payroll records, profit information, and year-end review notes.(15:05) Two Businesses With Very Different SalariesA real-world example shows why two owners with identical business profits can reasonably receive drastically different salaries based on their actual involvement.(16:35) Protecting Your S Corp Tax SavingsThe strongest S Corp strategy uses a salary that is reasonable, defensible, and documented instead of simply chasing the lowest possible number.Podcast Host:Mike Jesowshek, CPA – Founder and Host of Small Business Tax Savings PodcastJoin TaxElm: https://taxelm.com🚀 Visit:  https://www.TaxSavingsPodcast.com 🚀 Check Out TaxElm: https://taxelm.com/🚀 Join our Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/taxsavings/🚀 YouTube: www.TaxSavingsTV.com👋🏼 GET IN TOUCHYou can Tweet @MJesowshek with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes. We want to thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙌LEAVE A REVIEWIf you enjoy the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more business owners find the show ⭐🎙 ABOUT THE PODCASTThe Small Business Tax Savings Podcast is your go-to resource for cutting-edge tax strategies to help entrepreneurs legally slash their tax bills. Hosted by Mike Jesowshek, CPA, this show breaks down complex tax topics into clear, no-fluff insights so you can keep more of your hard-earned money.