Drake Tax - 1120-S - Calculating Schedule M-2
Article #: 11747
Last Updated: October 21, 2024
Note This article comprises former KB articles 11549, 11544, 10230, 11741, and 11747. It is herein referred to as KB 11747.
Form 1120-S, Schedule M-2 analyzes adjustments to the accumulated earnings account, other adjustments account, and previously taxed income account. Unlike on Form 1120, Schedule M-2 on Form 1120-S is not a reconciliation of retained earnings.
Schedule M-2 is divided into four columns and is used to reconcile the accounts that affect a shareholder's basis.
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Column (a) is for the Accumulated Adjustments Account (AAA).
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Column (b) is for shareholders' undistributed taxable income previously taxed.
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Column (c) is for accumulated earnings and profits.
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Column (d) is for other adjustments.
Schedule M-2, Column (a)
Enter data for certain lines of Schedule M-2, column (a) using screen M2 (Accumulated Adjustment Account). Some lines are direct entry and others are adjustment fields. Details are as follows:
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Line 1, Balance at start of year – Enter the AAA balance at the start of the year. Note that Schedule M-2, line 1 may, or may not, match Schedule L, line 24(b) (retained earnings at the beginning of the year).
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Line 2, “Ordinary income from page 1, line 22” – This amount is automatically calculated and cannot be overridden or adjusted.
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Line 3, Other additions – Adjusts the sum of the following Schedule K lines; see “Statement 29” in View/Print mode:
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Line 4, “Interest income”
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Line 5a, “Dividends – Ordinary dividends”
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Line 5b, “Dividends – Qualified dividends”
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Line 6, “Royalties”
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Line 10, “Other income (loss)”
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Line 4, “Loss from page 1, line 22” – This amount is automatically calculated and cannot be overridden or adjusted.
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Line 5, Other reductions – Adjusts the sum of the following Schedule K lines; see “Statement 30” in View/Print mode:
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Line 12a, “Charitable contributions:”
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Line 12b, “Investment interest expense”
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Line 12c, “Section 59(e)(2) expenditures”
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Line 12d, “Other deductions”
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Line 6, “Combine lines 1 through 5” – This amount is automatically calculated and cannot be overridden or adjusted.
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Line 7, Nondividend distributions – Adjusts the amount that flows from Schedule K; amount is limited based on IRS guidelines (see Line 7 – Calculation Explained below)
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Line 8, Balance at end of year – This amount is automatically calculated and cannot be overridden or adjusted. This amount may be negative if it is the result of losses instead of distributions. (See Line 7 – Calculation Explained below.)
Line 7 – Calculation Explained
Distributions are entered on screen DIST and carried to Schedules K and K-1, line 16d, as well as Schedule M-2, line 7 (if allowed). An adjustment field for Schedule M-2, line 7 is available on screen M2. Review the following information before making an entry in the adjustment field and to see why Schedule M-2, line 7 may be limited.
Per the Form 1120-S instructions and IRC Sec.1.1368-2(a)(3)(iii), Schedule M-2, column (a) (AAAs) cannot be negative as a result of distributions. Therefore, line 7 of Schedule M-2 may differ from what is entered on screen DIST.
The distribution limit is determined as follows:
Beginning AAA balance (line 1)
+ Net adjustment (sum of lines 2 – 5)
= Distributions limit (line 6)
The amount reported on Schedule M-2, line 7 is based on line 6 and determined as follows:
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If line 6 is positive, line 7 is limited to the lesser of line 6 or the total distribution reported on Schedule K.
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If line 6 is negative, line 7 is based on line 1:
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If line 1 is positive, line 7 is limited to the lesser of line 1 or the total distribution reported on Schedule K.
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If line 1 is negative, no amount is allowed on line 7.
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A distribution reported on Schedule K, line 16d that exceeds the amount allowed on Schedule M-2, line 7 may be taxable to the shareholders due to the lack of basis in the AAA account. See Drake Tax - 1040 - Distributions in Excess of Basis from 1120-S for information.
Examples
For the following examples, since distributions (line 7) are limited to the lesser of line 6 or the total Schedule K distribution, we will assume that distributions from Schedule K are always greater than line 6.
Example | (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) |
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Beginning AAA Balance (line 1) | Net Adjustment (sum of lines 2 – 5) | Distributions Limit (line 6; (a) + (b)) | Total Distributions from S Corp. | Allowed Distributions (line 7) | |
1 | ($200) | $400 | $200 | $600 | $200 |
2 | $0 | $600 | $600 | $600 | $600 |
3 | $200 | $600 | $800 | $400 | $400 |
4 | $200 | ($600) | ($400) | $400 | $200 |
5 | ($200) | $600 | $400 | $200 | $200 |
6 | $7,500 | $71,000 | $78,500 | $81,000 | $78,500 |
Additional Explanations
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Since line 6 is positive and $600 in distributions is greater than the calculated $200 limit, line 7 is limited to $200.
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Since line 6 is positive and $600 in distributions is not greater than the calculated $600 limit, line 7 is not limited and therefore equals $600.
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Since line 6 is positive and $400 in distributions is not greater than the calculated $800 limit, line 7 is not limited and therefore equals $400.
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Since line 6 is negative, we must refer to line 1. As line 1 is positive, the AAA balance for the beginning of the year is used for line 7; therefore, line 7 equals $200.
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Since line 6 is positive and $200 in distributions is not greater than the calculated $400 limit, line 7 is not limited and therefore equals $200.
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Since line 6 is positive and $81,000 in distributions is greater than the calculated $78,500 limit, line 7 is limited to $78,500.
Schedule M-2, Columns (b), (c), and (d)
Columns (b), (c), and (d) are generally used in the 1120-S package only if the entity either:
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Filed an 1120 return in a prior year,
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Was classified as an 1120-S prior to 1983.
Other things to keep in mind:
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Column (b) is based on earnings and income; thus, it should never have a negative amount.
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Net operating loss (NOL) carryovers from an 1120 corporation are suspended until either the NOLs expire, or the corporation loses its status as an S corporation. An exception to such suspensions is when PPP loan forgiveness needs to be reported; see the 1120-S instructions for details.