It goes by many names. You might hear it called the “domestic production activities deduction” or the “manufacturer’s deduction” or, as we’ll call it, the “Section 199 deduction.” About 10 years ago, this provision of the Internal Revenue Code was adopted to encourage domestic job growth.
Section 199 could allow your construction business to deduct as much as 9% of taxable income derived from qualifying activities (including construction of real property).
Determining eligibility for the Section 199 deduction
Although one of its names suggests the deduction applies only to manufacturing companies, it’s available to many types of businesses, including those involved in the construction or renovation of residential, commercial and institutional buildings, as well as many infrastructure projects. It can also be used by companies that provide architectural and engineering services for construction work — including consultation, planning, design, evaluation and supervision.
In all of these cases, the deduction applies only to “real property” construction projects performed in the United States. Real property doesn’t include machinery unless it’s a structural component. For work on existing structures, the tax break’s rules distinguish between substantial renovation (which fits within the eligible category) and maintenance (which is ineligible). To qualify as substantial renovation, a project should materially increase the value of the property, substantially prolong its useful life, or adapt it to a new or different use.
Identifying your activities eligible for the Section 199 Deduction
Once you’ve determined that your construction business is eligible, you need to track the income that serves as the basis for the deduction. Sec. 199 refers to this figure as qualified production activities income (QPAI) and defines it as the taxpayer’s domestic production gross receipts (DPGR) less the sum of:
- The costs of goods sold that can be allocated to those receipts, and
- Other expenses, losses and deductions that can be allocated to those receipts.
Taxpayers have to determine whether receipts qualify on a reasonable item-by-item basis — not on another basis such as corporate division, product line or transaction. But de minimis rules allow you to treat total gross receipts as DPGR if less than 5% of your total gross receipts are non-DPGR.
Calculating the Section 199 deduction
In concept, once you know your DPGR and QPAI, calculating the Section 199 deduction appears relatively simple. In practice, however, you’ll probably encounter some significant challenges in arriving at those numbers and then determining which limitations apply under the tax code. It is a good idea to work closely with your tax advisor when attempting to claim the deduction. Together, you’ll have to essentially follow four steps:
- Determine your construction company’s DPGR;
- Subtract expenses, losses and deductions (other than the Section 199 deduction) that can properly be allocated to DPGR to arrive at your QPAI;
- Compare your QPAI to your taxable income for the year, and
- Multiply the lower of QPAI or taxable income by 9%.
The result will be your tentative Section 199 deduction. The maximum deduction you can actually take is limited to 50% of your QPAI-related W-2 wages for the year, so you may need to reduce the amount of the deduction if it exceeds the wage threshold.
Some construction businesses are heavily involved in projects that qualify for the Section 199 deduction, but rely more on independent contractors rather than bona fide employees to perform the work. If you’re in this situation, converting some of these workers to employees could help you maximize the deduction. But you’ll need to very carefully weigh doing so against the additional costs of employment taxes and benefits.
Justifying the effort and recent IRS regulations related to Section 199
The Section 199 deduction entails meticulous recordkeeping and, as mentioned, some fairly complicated calculations. But, potentially, the tax savings could justify the time and effort involved. If you’re unsure whether it’s for you, some recent IRS regulations may help put the tax break in somewhat clearer perspective.
In September 2015, the IRS proposed regulations to clarify various aspects of the Section 199 deduction, including how to determine domestic production gross receipts (DPGR). In large part, the new regulations address issues related to manufactured products, oil-related activities and film production. But certain provisions also address issues related to construction.
For example, the proposed regulations clarify that a taxpayer’s construction activities must include more than the approval or authorization of payments for that taxpayer’s activities to be considered those typically performed by a general contractor. The proposed regs also revise the definition of substantial renovation to include requirements on how renovation costs must be capitalized.
At the same time, the IRS issued another set of temporary regulations on the allocation of Sec. 199 wages in short tax years or where the taxpayer acquires or disposes of a major business unit during a tax year.
As always, consult with your tax advisor prior to taking any action. If you have any questions on this or any other construction topic, please contact Sabre Linahan at 404.874.6244 and or simply fill out our form below and we will be glad to help.