Forbes: Planning Checklist For S. Corp. Shareholders

When income is distributed to stockholders of U.S. corporations there are two levels of taxation: one at the corporate level (as adjusted net income) and one at the stockholder level (as dividend income). If the corporation and shareholders elect, the distributions to stockholders are treated as adjusted net income to the stockholder and the corporation pays no income taxes. This election is limited to small business corporations (a so-called S. Corp.) which are defined as a domestic U.S. corporation, which is not an ineligible corporation (a financial banking or DISC corporation), which does not have more than 100 eligible shareholders, all stockholders must be eligible persons or entities, and has only one class of stock outstanding.