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Level 5
May 19, 2026
Solved

S-Corp Contractor builds his own home

  • May 19, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 0 views

Doesn't the above client have to declare the basis of his new home as income since he will put his name on the title?

Or is it just a distribution to him. 

He is the sole shareholder.

Thanks in advance, Christopher

Best answer by qbteachmt

"since he will put his name on the title?"

"At some point his new home could be an asset of the S-Corp."

Well, which is it? Holding real estate in an S Corp is the worst way to own a property. If it is his own residence, why are you/he bringing the S Corp into the loop for ownership?

"Credit his home on the P&L or Balance sheet and debit Distributions?"

Nothing hits the P&L.

"As he accumulates expenses to the building, these costs would increase his asset "Personal Home"."

It's not his asset if you are entering this in the S Corp and he isn't paying for it personally. An S Corp doesn't have a Personal Residence. You seem to be trying to commingle everything in error. Either it is a business project, or it's personal and should not run through the S Corp at all. In which case, worker comp would like to have a meeting.

The costs accumulate in Construction in Progress, an asset. Or, everything spent is a loan to him, that is an asset as Loan to Shareholder. That will include land, labor, materials, subs, architect, engineering, permits, insurance, anything related to the project. If he is working under a construction loan, the interest that also is not expense.

Credit bank or credit card or AP, Debit instead of Expense is now Debit to this accumulator account.

If anyone is taking out a mortgage, who will that be?

"so he doesn't have a tax liability"

It's a pass through entity. You can't expect this project to throw them into loss. And you don't know this until the project is complete, the accounts are settled, you compare to his basis in the entity, if there are still any debts on the books for the project, what is in retained earnings, are you treating it as loan or as distribution, etc. Tax liability is the final result, not the upfront concern.

3 replies

IRonMaN
Level 15
May 19, 2026

Income to him, a distribution, a loan, anything that prevents the costs from being deducted as a business expense.

Slava Ukraini!
chapguy19Author
Level 5
May 19, 2026

What are the credits and debits, so he doesn't have a tax liability.

? Credit his home on the P&L or Balance sheet and debit Distributions?

At some point his new home could be an asset of the S-Corp.

Thanks, C

IRonMaN
Level 15
May 19, 2026

"At some point his new home could be an asset of the S-Corp."

How and/or why would his personal home become an asset of the corporation?

Slava Ukraini!
qbteachmt
qbteachmtAnswer
Level 15
May 21, 2026

"since he will put his name on the title?"

"At some point his new home could be an asset of the S-Corp."

Well, which is it? Holding real estate in an S Corp is the worst way to own a property. If it is his own residence, why are you/he bringing the S Corp into the loop for ownership?

"Credit his home on the P&L or Balance sheet and debit Distributions?"

Nothing hits the P&L.

"As he accumulates expenses to the building, these costs would increase his asset "Personal Home"."

It's not his asset if you are entering this in the S Corp and he isn't paying for it personally. An S Corp doesn't have a Personal Residence. You seem to be trying to commingle everything in error. Either it is a business project, or it's personal and should not run through the S Corp at all. In which case, worker comp would like to have a meeting.

The costs accumulate in Construction in Progress, an asset. Or, everything spent is a loan to him, that is an asset as Loan to Shareholder. That will include land, labor, materials, subs, architect, engineering, permits, insurance, anything related to the project. If he is working under a construction loan, the interest that also is not expense.

Credit bank or credit card or AP, Debit instead of Expense is now Debit to this accumulator account.

If anyone is taking out a mortgage, who will that be?

"so he doesn't have a tax liability"

It's a pass through entity. You can't expect this project to throw them into loss. And you don't know this until the project is complete, the accounts are settled, you compare to his basis in the entity, if there are still any debts on the books for the project, what is in retained earnings, are you treating it as loan or as distribution, etc. Tax liability is the final result, not the upfront concern.

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chapguy19Author
Level 5
May 21, 2026

I am trying to be too cute.

Just going to dump all of the expenses into Distributions.

Will he have tax liability when he assumes the house at less than FMV?

Thanks, Christopher

sjrcpa
Level 15
May 22, 2026

If you are treating expenses as incurred as distributions I don't think there is a problem. It's the same as if he took cash distributions and used the money to pay to build the house.

But, who owns the land?

Are you including all expenses such as payroll?

The more I know the more I don’t know.
BobKamman
Level 15
May 21, 2026

Is a contractor who builds custom homes, allowed a model to show prospective customers?  Is he prohibited from living in it, while he uses it for that purpose?  Does it make a difference if his office takes up half the floor space? I'm looking for some more facts and circumstances.