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AcadiFi
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PartnershipPrepEA2026-05-20
eaPart 1Partnership TaxSelf-Employment Tax

Does a limited partner's distributive share always avoid self-employment tax?

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AcadiFi TeamVerified Expert
AcadiFi Certified Professional

Not automatically. The safest answer is that a limited-partner fact pattern may support excluding the distributive share from self-employment tax, but that does not mean every dollar received from the partnership gets the same treatment.

Ask two questions first:

  1. Is the amount actually a distributive share?
  2. Or is part of it a guaranteed payment for services?

If the question mixes those two items, split them before you conclude anything.

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For EA exam purposes, the biggest mistake is using the phrase "limited partner" as if it answers the treatment of every cash flow coming out of the entity.

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