For S-corps and C-corps, your salary and the company’s portion of your FICA tax counts as qualified business deductions. Claiming these expenses can help reduce your company’s total tax bill.
Unfortunately, sole proprietors, partnerships, and single-member LLCs can’t legally pay themselves with W2s and therefore can’t claim any owner’s draws as a business expense. That said, you can claim payments made to other employees or independent contractors — either was W2 salaries or 1099 payments.