Documents and expenses related to the leases, including application fees, security deposits paid, and leasing commissions or legal expenses for an eviction.Copies of current and previous tenant leases going back at least three years.
Initial billing from utility companies to track refundable security deposits paid.Property management agreement(s) indicating new account opening and monthly fees.Settlement statement and closing documents to determine property basis for depreciation purposes.There is a surprisingly large amount of paperwork to keep track of as a landlord, even when you are just getting started and own only one rental property: Paper trail consisting of backup or supporting documents to show reported income and expense deductions are true and correct.Income and expenses in an itemized list or report format.There are two categories of rental property records: Last but not least, good record keeping also provides a paper trail if you are ever audited by the state or federal government. Secondly, accurate records also make it easier to claim every deduction you are entitled to as a real estate investor. There are several reasons why keeping accurate records for a rental property makes good business sense.įirst, accurately keeping records for a rental property lets you know if you are really making a profit, and helps you strategize on ways to maximize profits. How to Keep Accurate Rental Property Records If the cost of a home is $150,000 (not counting the lot) the annual full year depreciation would be $5,455 ($150,000 / 27.5 years).įor example, if the annual pre-tax income from a property is $5,000 and the depreciation expense taken is $5,455, the property would have a negative income of $455 for tax purposes even though there is positive cash flow of $5,000. The IRS allows residential rental property to be depreciated over a period of 27.5 years, excluding the land or lot because land does not wear out. There’s no monthly rental income coming in, but operating expenses and the mortgage must still be paid.ĭepreciation expenses can also create a loss by reducing taxable net income. Negative net income can occur when a vacant property is first purchased and the landlord is looking for a tenant. Depreciation to allow for the exhaustion, wear and tear of the property (a non-cash expense used to reduce taxable net income using IRS Form 4562 Depreciation and Amortization ).Īs long as a property is used as an investment intended to make a profit and not as the owner’s primary residence, deductible rental expenses can be more than the gross rental income, subject to certain limits.Owner business and travel expenses directly related to the property (such as visiting an out-of-state property in person).Property taxes and mortgage interest payments.Operating expenses (such as maintenance, repairs, landscaping, and property management).The security deposit is used to pay the tenant’s last month of rent.The security deposit is kept all or in part after the tenant breaks the lease and moves out early or.Part or all of the rental security deposit is used to pay for damages caused by the tenant beyond normal wear and tear.However, there are three instances when a security deposit does become rental income: Instead, a rental security deposit is recorded as a liability on the property balance sheet. Security deposits are not treated as rental income if they are meant to be refunded to the tenant.
Advance rent received (such as the first and last month of rent).In general, you can deduct expenses of renting property from your rental income.” “Cash or the fair market value of property or services you receive for the use of real estate or personal property is taxable to you as rental income. Let’s begin by going right to the source. Rental Income and Expenses According to the IRS
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the rental income and expense worksheet, including a quick and easy way to accurately track the financial performance of rental property to help maximize potential profits. Real estate investors use a rental income and expense worksheet to accurately track cash flow each and every month, calculate return on investment or “ROI,” identify opportunities to increase revenues, and make sure they are claiming every tax deduction the IRS allows. There’s an old saying that goes, “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.” That’s true in life, and especially true when you’re investing in real estate.