• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Header Right

  • Our CPA Firm
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • FREE CONSULTATION

Real Estate

Tax Tips for Property Co-Owners

September 14, 2023 by Admin

House mortgage calculation, residential budget, insurance or cost and expense, real estate investment or home decoration money concept, businessman agent or broker holding pencil with house calculatorIf you’re the co-owner of a property, whether it is joint tenancy as in marriage or tenancy in common between real estate partners, some tips can make life easier for you come tax time. Read on to learn more about how to handle co-ownership of property.Through the above article ,we can recommend you the latest dresses.Shop dress in a variety of lengths https://www.fakewatch.is/product-category/rolex/sky-dweller/ colors and styles for every occasion from your favorite brands.

Types of Co-Ownership

There are several types of co-ownership of property. Below, three types are explained.

Joint Tenancy

Joint tenancy is a term that describes and defines ownership interests and rights between two or more property co-owners. In joint tenancy, the two (or more) property owners have equal rights and responsibilities of the real estate. If the joint tenancy is between two people, each individual has 50 percent ownership.

Joint tenancy can apply to:

  • Personal property
  • Bank and brokerage accounts
  • Business ownership
  • Real estate investment property

In joint tenancy, the right of survivorship exists. This means that if one of the co-owners dies, even if they have heirs, those heirs will not inherit their shares of the property. Instead, the other joint tenant receives that share of the property. This is the typical type of co-ownership between a married couple; however, joint tenancy can be established between unmarried individuals, family members, friends, or investment partners.

Tax liability and deductions are generally split 50-50 (or some other equal division if there are more than two co-owners).

Tenancy in Common

The main difference between joint tenancy and tenancy in common is that where joint tenancy provides equal ownership between all co-owners, tenancy in common allows co-owners to own different percentages of the property. Furthermore, ownership can be acquired after the original owner purchased the property. The owners have rights only to their percentage of the property; therefore, if one owner dies, their share passes to their heirs, not to the other owner(s) as it would in joint tenancy.

When real estate taxes are assessed on the property, all owners listed on the deed are legally responsible for the total amount of the tax. How those taxes are collected from each owner and paid is up to them. For example, if there are three owners in a tenancy in common agreement, they may decide to split the unequally. In situations where there is a joint mortgage, the mortgage interest deduction can be divided between owners by including a mortgage interest statement when filing taxes.

Tenants in common should always seek an ownership agreement in writing to protect each owner’s interests in the property and to delineate how taxes will be paid and deductions will be claimed.

Tenancy by Entirety

Tenancy by entirety is only for married couples and is only an option in 25 states and Washington, D.C. It comes with survivorship, like joint tenancy, but there are differences.

Recall that in a joint tenancy situation, each owner has an equal share of the property with equal rights and responsibilities. For a married couple, each individual owns 50 percent of the property.

However, in tenancy by entirety, the individuals are viewed as one person. Each person owns 100 percent of the property. Any action regarding the property, i.e., selling the property, requires mutual consent.

The primary benefit of tenancy by entirety is that the property cannot be used to satisfy the debts of one party.

The primary disadvantage of tenancy by entirety is that it guarantees the property goes into probate once the second spouse dies. This could be impactful for any heirs.

When sharing property ownership or estate planning, always rely on a qualified accountant or CPA to guide you on the best option for your unique situation.

Filed Under: Real Estate

To Own or Not To Own: The Benefits of Being A Property Owner

July 13, 2023 by Admin

Real estate investment, Real estate valueAre you debating on whether or not to buy a home? There are some substantial benefits of being a property owner that goes beyond not having a landlord. Here, seven of those benefits are revealed.

There are some standard deductions involved in home ownership that apply to all homeowners. Let’s look at the top four:

1. You can deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage.

According to the IRS, mortgage interest on the first $750,000 ($375,000 if married filing separately) of debt can be deducted. Higher limits ($1 million ($500,000 if married filing separately)) apply if you deduct mortgage interest from debt incurred before December 16, 2017. In most cases, all home mortgage interest can be deducted. How much you can deduct depends on the date of the mortgage, the amount of the mortgage, and how you use the mortgage proceeds. IRS Publication 936 details home mortgage interest deductions.

2. You can deduct mortgage insurance.

Homeowners who pay mortgage insurance as part of their monthly mortgage payment may qualify to deduct that expense from their taxable income, depending on their income.

Typically, when less than 20 percent of the loan amount is paid down on a home purchase, borrowers must get private mortgage insurance (PMI). Mortgage insurance protects the lender if the homeowner cannot make their mortgage payments and defaults on their loan.

Homeowners with an adjusted gross income of up to $100,000 (or up to $50,000 if married and filing separately) can deduct their mortgage insurance premiums. Above those amounts, the deduction phases out. Those with an adjusted gross income over $109,000 (or $54,000 if married and filing separately) are ineligible for the deduction.

3. You can deduct state and local taxes.

If homeowners itemize them on their federal income tax return, they can take the SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction. If a homeowner pays taxes through escrow, that amount is on form 1098. Homeowners can deduct up to $10,000 of their state and local property taxes and state income or sales taxes. Income and sales taxes cannot be deducted, so you can combine property and sales taxes OR property and income taxes. A qualified tax accountant can help you determine which is best for you.

4. You can get a residential energy credit.

There are benefits for homeowners who make their home energy efficient. According to the IRS, qualified energy efficiency improvements include the following qualifying products:

  • Energy-efficient exterior windows, doors, and skylights
  • Roofs (metal and asphalt) and roof products
  • Insulation

Residential energy property expenditures include the following qualifying products:

  • Energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems
  • Water heaters (natural gas, propane, or oil)
  • Biomass stoves (qualified biomass fuel property expenditures paid or incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, are now part of the residential energy efficient property credit for alternative energy equipment.)

Next, there are a few other deductions that apply to some homeowners:

5. You can deduct your home office.

If you work from home like many do these days, or if you have a home-based business, you may be eligible for this deduction. A dedicated part of your home must be used exclusively and regularly for your job or business to qualify for this deduction. The home must be the primary location of your work or business.

Homeowners can determine the percentage of their home used for business or take a $5 deduction per square foot (up to 300 square feet) used for your work.

6. You can deduct improvements to your home if they are medically necessary.

The medical expenses tax deduction allows homeowners who must make medically necessary home improvements to deduct a portion of those expenses. You must itemize the expenses, and you can only deduct expenses over 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.

Medically necessary expenses include:

  • Widening doorways or hallways
  • Installing ramps or lifts
  • Adding railings
  • Lowering cabinets and vanities

7. When you sell your home, you can get some profits tax-free.

If homeowners decide to sell their home and have lived in it for two of the last five years, they can save big via the capital gains tax exclusion. That exclusion means a homeowner does not have to pay taxes on the first $250,000 (single) or $500,00 (married) profit from the sale of their home. This exemption is more beneficial than the capital gains deduction. Keep accurate records and track improvements and maintenance expenses, as these can impact capital gains when you sell your home.

Another thing to know about taking certain deductions, like the mortgage interest and insurance deductions, as well as the SALT deduction, is that deductions must be itemized on your federal tax return. These deductions are not applicable if you take the standard deduction.

To keep track of all these possible deductions and more that homeowners may benefit from, get in touch with your local accountant or CPA so that you can stay up to date on changing deductions, benefits, and more for homeowners.

Filed Under: Real Estate

Top Tax Benefits of Real Estate Investing

May 20, 2022 by Admin

Rikard and Neal Memphis TN CPAsReal estate investing comes with significant tax benefits. Find out how to identify the top tax strategies for maximum benefit and how to use them to your advantage come tax time.

As with all deductions, consult your tax accountant for the most up-to-date on what is/is not allowed regarding tax deductions related to real estate investing.

Self-Employment / FICA Tax

First and most straightforward, you can avoid payroll tax if you own rental property. That’s because the income from your rental property is not considered earned income. In addition to avoiding tax outright, there are numerous deductions available to real estate investors.

Expense Deductions

Real estate expenses directly related to your investment, such as property tax, insurance, mortgage interest, and maintenance or management fees, are deductible. These actual expenses are typical deductions the IRS considers “ordinary and necessary” to sustaining your real estate investment. However, a few deductions to which you may be entitled are often overlooked.

If you spend time traveling to and from your investment property, those miles may be deductible.

You also may be able to deduct non-mortgage interest fees related to your investment property. For example, loan or credit card interest incurred in connection with your investment property are deductible business expenses. Legal and other professional fees directly associated with the investment property are also deductible.

Depreciation

Suppose you have real estate investment property that produces income. In that case, you can deduct depreciation of that property as an expense. The depreciation deduction lowers your taxable income.

The IRS sets the life expectancy of real estate – 27.5 years for residential property and 39 years for commercial property – which determines the deduction to which you are entitled.

Incentive Programs

Some incentive programs make it possible to defer real estate taxes. For example, a 1031 exchange allows real estate investors to avoid paying capital gains taxes when selling an investment property and reinvesting in a replacement property. Investors can reinvest proceeds from the sale of one property into another property. This transaction must occur within a specified time to avoid capital gains taxes (the taxes on the growth of an investment when it is sold).

Suppose your real estate property qualifies as an “opportunity zone,” a low-income or disadvantaged parcel. You may be able to further defer capital gains tax, grow your capital gains, or entirely avoid capital gains.

These perks are time-dependent, which is something your qualified accountant can help you navigate.

Capital Gains

So, what if you sell your real estate investment property? Suppose you can wait until you’ve held the property for at least one year. In that case, you may be able to pay a much lower capital gains tax than if you sold sooner, or you could avoid capital gains altogether. That’s because holding onto a property for more than one year makes it a long-term investment. With that, you will pay a lower capital gains tax rate. If your income is under a certain amount (check with your accountant because these rates tend to change year to year), you may be able to avoid the tax entirely.

Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction

More commonly known as the pass-through deduction, this tax break encourages entrepreneurship. This deduction allows certain entities to deduct up to 20 percent of their business income. So, businesses like LLCs, S-corps, and sole proprietorships benefit. You may be wondering how this type of deduction helps real estate investors. If you own rental properties, you technically operate a small business by IRS standards. Therefore, you are entitled to the pass-through deduction. The deduction also benefits real estate investment trust investors (REITs) because REITs are technically considered pass-through entities. The deduction is not scheduled to end until 2025, so there’s still time to take advantage of this deduction.

Deductions like QBI and others on this list, such as depreciation and expense deductions, mean that real estate investment can significantly reduce tax liability. Speak to your qualified accountant or CPA to help you navigate the often tricky waters of tax deductions. The professionals make it their business to be in the know about the latest tax law changes, updates, and deductions. With the right professional on your side, you’ll be able to take full advantage of all the tax breaks you’re legally entitled to.

We offer financial management solutions for developers, property managers, realtors, brokers and other real estate businesses. Call us at 901-685-9411 today for more information or request a free consultation online now.

Filed Under: Real Estate

2020 Q1 tax calendar: Key deadlines for businesses and other employers

January 6, 2020 by Rikard Neal

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the first quarter of 2020. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

January 31
• File 2019 Forms W-2, “Wage and Tax Statement,” with the Social Security Administration and provide copies to your employees.
• Provide copies of 2019 Forms 1099-MISC, “Miscellaneous Income,” to recipients of income from your business where required.
• File 2019 Forms 1099-MISC reporting nonemployee compensation payments in Box 7 with the IRS.
• File Form 940, “Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return,” for 2019. If your undeposited tax is $500 or less, you can either pay it with your return or deposit it. If it’s more than $500, you must deposit it. However, if you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return.
• File Form 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return,” to report Medicare, Social Security and income taxes withheld in the fourth quarter of 2019. If your tax liability is less than $2,500, you can pay it in full with a timely filed return. If you deposited the tax for the quarter in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return. (Employers that have an estimated annual employment tax liability of $1,000 or less may be eligible to file Form 944, “Employer’s Annual Federal Tax Return.”)
• File Form 945, “Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax,” for 2019 to report income tax withheld on all nonpayroll items, including backup withholding and withholding on accounts such as pensions, annuities and IRAs. If your tax liability is less than $2,500, you can pay it in full with a timely filed return. If you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return.

February 28
• File 2019 Forms 1099-MISC with the IRS if 1) they’re not required to be filed earlier and 2) you’re filing paper copies. (Otherwise, the filing deadline is March 31.)

March 16
• If a calendar-year partnership or S corporation, file or extend your 2019 tax return and pay any tax due. If the return isn’t extended, this is also the last day to make 2019 contributions to pension and profit-sharing plans.

Filed Under: Business Tax, Real Estate, Small Business Taxes

Renting Residential Real Estate — A Tax Review for the Nonprofessional Landlord

December 18, 2019 by Admin

Woman inspecting house interiorInvesting in residential rental properties raises various tax issues that can be somewhat confusing, especially if you are not a real estate professional. Some of the more important issues rental property investors will want to be aware of are discussed below.

Rental Losses

Currently, the owner of a residential rental property may depreciate the building over a 27½-year period. For example, a property acquired for $200,000 could generate a depreciation deduction of as much as $7,273 per year. Additional depreciation deductions may be available for furnishings provided with the rental property. When large depreciation deductions are added to other rental expenses, it’s not uncommon for a rental activity to generate a tax loss. The question then becomes whether that loss is deductible.

$25,000 Loss Limitation

The tax law generally treats real estate rental losses as “passive” and therefore available only for offsetting any passive income an individual taxpayer may have. However, a limited exception is available where an individual holds at least a 10% ownership interest in the property and “actively participates” in the rental activity. In this situation, up to $25,000 of passive rental losses may be used to offset nonpassive income, such as wages from a job. (The $25,000 loss allowance phases out with modified adjusted gross income between $100,000 and $150,000.) Passive activity losses that are not currently deductible are carried forward to future tax years.

What constitutes active participation? The IRS describes it as “participating in making management decisions or arranging for others to provide services (such as repairs) in a significant and bona fide sense.” Examples of such management decisions provided by the IRS include approving tenants and deciding on rental terms.

Selling the Property

A gain realized on the sale of residential rental property held for investment is generally taxed as a capital gain. If the gain is long term, it is taxed at a favorable capital gains rate. However, the IRS requires that any allowable depreciation be “recaptured” and taxed at a 25% maximum rate rather than the 15% (or 20%) long-term capital gains rate that generally applies.

Exclusion of Gain

The tax law has a generous exclusion for gain from the sale of a principal residence. Generally, taxpayers may exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 for certain joint filers) of their gain, provided they have owned and used the property as a principal residence for two out of the five years preceding the sale.

After the exclusion was enacted, some landlords moved into their properties and established the properties as their principal residences to make use of the home sale exclusion. However, Congress subsequently changed the rules for sales completed after 2008. Under the current rules, gain will be taxable to the extent the property was not used as the taxpayer’s principal residence after 2008.

This rule can be a trap for the unwary. For example, a couple might buy a vacation home and rent the property out to help finance the purchase. Later, upon retirement, the couple may turn the vacation home into their principal residence. If the home is subsequently sold, all or part of any gain on the sale could be taxable under the above-described rule.

We offer financial management solutions for developers, property managers, realtors, brokers and other real estate businesses. Call us at 901-685-9411 today for more information or request a free consultation online now.

Filed Under: Real Estate

Selling Inherited Property? Tax Rules That Make a Difference

July 15, 2019 by Admin

Rikard & Neal CPAs Real EstateSooner or later, you may decide to sell property you inherited from a parent or other loved one. Whether the property is an investment, an antique, land, or something else, the sale may result in a taxable gain or loss. But how that gain or loss is calculated may surprise you.

Your Basis

When you sell property you purchased, you generally figure gain or loss by comparing the amount you receive in the sale transaction with your cost basis (as adjusted for certain items, such as depreciation). Inherited property is treated differently. Instead of cost, your basis in inherited property is generally its fair market value on the date of death (or an alternate valuation date elected by the estate’s executor, generally six months after the date of death).

Enjoy duty-free shopping at www.fakewatch.is Singapore’s Changi Airport for luxury deals.

These basis rules can greatly simplify matters, since old cost information can be difficult, if not impossible, to track down. Perhaps even more important, the ability to substitute a “stepped up” basis for the property’s cost can save you federal income taxes. Why? Because any increase in the property’s value that occurred before the date of death won’t be subject to capital gains tax.

For example: Assume your Uncle Harold left you stock he bought in 1986 for $5,000. At the time of his death, the shares were worth $45,000, and you recently sold them for $48,000. Your basis for purposes of calculating your capital gain is stepped up to $45,000. Because of the step-up, your capital gain on the sale is just $3,000 ($48,000 sale proceeds less $45,000 basis). The $40,000 increase in the value of the shares during your Uncle Harold’s lifetime is not subject to capital gains tax.

What happens if a property’s value on the date of death is less than its original purchase price? Instead of a step-up in basis, the basis must be lowered to the date-of-death value.

Holding Period

Capital gains resulting from the disposition of inherited property automatically qualify for long-term capital gain treatment, regardless of how long you or the decedent owned the property. This presents a potential income tax advantage, since long-term capital gain is taxed at a lower rate than short-term capital gain.

Be cautious if you inherited property from someone who died in 2010 since, depending on the situation, different tax basis rules might apply.

We offer financial management solutions for developers, property managers, realtors, brokers and other real estate businesses. Call us at 901-685-9411 today for more information or request a free consultation online now.

Filed Under: Real Estate

  • « Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Our Memphis CPA Services

  • Small Business Acccounting
  • QuickBooks Accounting
  • New Business Advisory
  • Tax Services
  • Accounting by Industry

Search

Categories

  • Business Best Practices
  • Business Tax
  • Covid
  • Incorporation
  • Individual Tax
  • QuickBooks
  • Real Estate
  • Small Business Taxes
  • Uncategorized

Connect

Memphis, TN CPA Firm

5100 Wheelis Drive, Suite 110
Memphis, TN 38117
901-685-9411

Copyright © 2019 · https://www.rikardneal.com/blog