Many tax-related limits affecting businesses increase for 2019

A variety of tax-related limits affecting businesses are annually indexed for inflation, and many have gone up for 2019. Here’s a look at some that may affect you and your business.

Deductions

Section 179 expensing:
Limit: $1.02 million (up from $1 million)
Phaseout: $2.55 million (up from $2.5 million)
Income-based phase-ins for certain limits on the Sec. 199A qualified business income deduction:
Married filing jointly: $321,400-$421,400 (up from $315,000-$415,000)
Married filing separately: $160,725-$210,725 (up from $157,500-$207,500)
Other filers: $160,700-$210,700 (up from $157,500-$207,500)

Retirement plans

Employee contributions to 401(k) plans: $19,000 (up from $18,500)
Catch-up contributions to 401(k) plans: $6,000 (no change)
Employee contributions to SIMPLEs: $13,000 (up from $12,500)
Catch-up contributions to SIMPLEs: $3,000 (no change)
Combined employer/employee contributions to defined contribution plans (not including catch-ups): $56,000 (up from $55,000)
Maximum compensation used to determine contributions: $280,000 (up from $275,000)
Annual benefit for defined benefit plans: $225,000 (up from $220,000)
Compensation defining “highly compensated employee”: $125,000 (up from $120,000)
Compensation defining “key employee”: $180,000 (up from $175,000)

Other employee benefits

Qualified transportation fringe-benefits employee income exclusion: $265 per month (up from $260)
Health Savings Account contributions:
Individual coverage: $3,500 (up from $3,450)
Family coverage: $7,000 (up from $6,900)
Catch-up contribution: $1,000 (no change)
Flexible Spending Account contributions:
Health care: $2,700 (up from $2,650)
Dependent care: $5,000 (no change)