Prolong the Life of your Rental Property (and Prevent excessive IRS payments!)

The big question to ask yourself here is whether or not you should try to extend the life of your rental property.

Over the course of the years that you own and rent out your rental property, you will undoubtedly be faced with wear and tear of the property.

If your sole aim from the property is to achieve the maximum rental income for the least expense, the chances are that you will ignore basic maintenance tasks and wait for major problems to occur before having to pay out cash for repair work to be carried out.

The above type of approach is okay, but it certainly stores up a lot of problems which can combine and have detrimental knock-on effects further down the line in the guise of not the best tenants,  plus, unnecessary tax payments to the IRS!

Let me explain

The property fabric has a value which is your “Equity“ when you come to sell.

In order to enhance the equity in the property you want to have the lowest possible mortgage loan (or even better no loan!) against the property.

That is quite obvious; however, the value of the property can be greatly influenced by the condition of the property.

A well maintained property will command a better value than a poorly maintained property.

A well maintained property will attract tenants who are more than likely going to help you look after the property and as a consequence reduce your overall expenses in keeping the property in good condition.

Before you start to worry about the cost of repairs to keep the property in a good condition you can take heart from the fact that you will be eligible for tax relief on the costs incurred in keeping your property in good condition.

Tenant-Paid Expenses

If your tenant pays for an expense on your behalf, this is considered income… for example; he pays for an emergency repair to the washing machine.

• Make a claim

Now, you can claim the repair bill for the washing machine as a rental expense.

Services from the Tenant

If agreeable, you may agree to forgo rent from the tenant in lieu of his time to,  for example, paint and / or paper the rental property.

Let’s say the rent was $650 a month, and you agreed to waive this rent for 1 month as his costs for carrying out the work.

• Make a claim

You have to include this $650 as income,  even although you did not physically receive the money, however,  like all good stories there is a happy ending here!…  because you can deduct the$ 650 as a legitimate expense!

Improvements are not always the best treatment!

Be aware of how the IRS view repairs to a rental property as opposed to Improvements / Renovations.

What is considered a repair?

Repairs include

• Painting,
• Fixing a broken toilet
• Replacing a faulty light switch
• Depreciation
• Insurance
• Taxes
• Lawn care
• Tax return preparation fee
• Losses from causalities (hurricane, earthquake, flood, etc.) or thefts

Repair and taxes

A repair keeps your rental property in good condition and is a deductible expense in the year that you pay for it.

What is considered an Improvement Renovation?

Improvements can include a new roof, patio or garage.

Improvements / Renovations and taxes

Improvements add value to your property and are not deductible when you pay for them. .. read that again … Improvements add value to your property and are not deductible when you pay for them!

The cost of recovering the improvement / renovation costs have to be depreciated over the lifespan of the property.

Do not Repair .. do not pass go .. do not collect $ 200.00!

If you leave repairs undone, and the problem starts to become worse and worse, you may find that the repair suddenly is classed as an Improvement or Renovation by the IRS

As stated earlier, Improvements are not deductible when they are paid for … you have to depreciate the cost of improvements over the property’s lifetime.

Recap on Repairs vs Improvements / Renovations

So, with Repairs you get immediate tax relief if claimed for in time…. This can make your IRS bill so much better to read!

Whereas your Improvements / Renovations don’t qualify for immediate tax relief and your IRS bill will look worse!

The IRS does give you a certain degree of flexibility with regard to the items you can class as either repairs or improvements.

Whatever you are claiming for, you have to be able substantiate your claim by producing receipts.

It is also important to remember that money spent on Improvements / Renovations could be set against your taxable liability when you come to sell the property.

Keep good records and always keep receipts.

There are other areas to consider with regard to taxes, and these include

• Security deposits
• Mortgage expenses
• Travel expenses
• If you own a rental condominium or cooperative, each has some special rules.
• Are you a passive real estate investor?
• Are you a real estate professional?

Do your calculations and consult with a qualified tax adviser to make sure you are doing the right thing and paying the least taxes!