Excessive Salaries in a Closely Held Corporation

Excessive salaries paid by a closely held corporation create a constant debate between the owners of the entity and the Internal Revenue Service, and with other corporation members. The basic law as to the tax aspects underlying the controversy, in the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, is substantially as follows: The compensation claimed as a deduction must be reasonable in amount, and must be paid purely for services. Distributions of profits under the guise of salaries are not deductible. This crucial issue leads to the question: What does the word reasonable salary mean in the framework of a closely held corporation