In a partnership (including multi-member LLCs taxed as partnerships), partners are not employees. Because of this, health insurance deductions follow special IRS rules.

The key rule is:

Partners may deduct health insurance premiums as a Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction — but only if the premiums are properly reported on their Schedule K-1 and included in their self-employment income.

Below is how it works step-by-step.

1️⃣ Partnership Cannot Deduct Partner Health Insurance as an Employee Benefit

The partnership cannot treat partners like W-2 employees, so it cannot deduct partner health insurance premiums as a normal business expense such as:

• Employee health insurance
  
  

• Fringe benefit
  
  

• Cafeteria plan
  
  

• Pre-tax payroll deduction
  
  

Instead, the partnership must treat payments as Guaranteed Payments.

2️⃣ How the Partnership Should Handle Premiums

If the partnership pays the partner’s health insurance premiums directly:

• The premiums must be treated as a Guaranteed Payment to the partner.
  
  

• They are deductible by the partnership as a guaranteed payment expense.
  
  

• The amount appears on the partner’s Schedule K-1, Box 4 (Guaranteed Payments).
  
  

If the partner pays the premiums personally:

• The partnership must reimburse the partner, and the reimbursement must be classified as a Guaranteed Payment.
  
  

• The partner cannot deduct the premiums unless they are included in their taxable income through the guaranteed payment.
  
  

3️⃣ How the Partner Deducts the Health Insurance

A partner can take the Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction on Form 1040, above-the-line, reducing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).

Requirements to take the deduction:

1. Premiums must be included as taxable income from the partnership (via guaranteed payment).
   
   

2. The partner must have net self-employment income from the partnership.
   
   

3. The deduction cannot exceed the partner’s earned income from that partnership.
   
   

4. The partner cannot be eligible for other subsidized health coverage (ex: spouse’s employer health plan).
   
   

4️⃣ Special Notes for Limited Partners (LPs)

Limited partners typically have passive income and do not receive self-employment income unless classified as guaranteed payments for services.

Therefore:

• LPs generally cannot take the self-employed health insurance deduction unless:
  
  

  • They perform services for the partnership, and
    
    

  • The partnership pays them guaranteed payments that count as earned income.
    
    

So LPs need guaranteed payments to qualify.

5️⃣ Impact on Self-Employment Tax

Guaranteed payments (including health insurance premiums treated as such) are:

• Subject to self-employment tax
  
  

• Included in the partner’s SE income
  
  

• Used to qualify for the self-employed health insurance deduction
  
  

This can be a surprise for some partners.

6️⃣ Example

Scenario

• Partnership pays a partner’s $8,000 annual health insurance premium.
  
  

• Partnership reports it as a guaranteed payment.
  
  

Partnership results:

• Deducts $8,000 as a guaranteed payment expense.
  
  

• Reports $8,000 on the partner’s K-1, Box 4.
  
  

Partner’s tax return:

• Includes the $8,000 in taxable income and self-employment income.
  
  

• Takes an above-the-line deduction of up to $8,000 for self-employed health insurance.
  
  

Net effect:

• Partner gets a deduction equal to the full premiums.
  
  

• Partnership gets a business deduction.
  
  

• Partner pays SE tax on the guaranteed payment.
  
  

7️⃣ Can partnerships offer group health insurance?

Yes—but partners cannot participate on a pre-tax basis.

Employees of the partnership can receive:

• Pre-tax premiums
  
  

• Tax-free employer contributions
  
  

• Group plan coverage
  
  

Partners must be treated separately and taxed differently (as explained above).

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