The QBI deduction isn't available to all pass-through businesses. It depends on the type of business you're in and the owner's total taxable income for the year.It's best to take a step-by-step approach to figure out whether you can claim the QBI deduction.For this step, determine your individual total taxable income for the year (not the business's income). This might include wages from another job, your spouse's wages, interest and dividends, capital gains, rental income, and more.