Taxes & Accounting
Deductions, basis, Schedule E, and staying audit-ready.
Selling a Rental Property: The 1031 Exchange Basics
A 1031 exchange lets you sell a rental and reinvest the proceeds into another property while deferring the capital gains tax bill.
Sell First or Buy First? How to Decide Without Getting Stuck
Selling first protects your cash but risks a rental gap, while buying first locks in your next home but means carrying two mortgages at once.
Reverse 1031 Exchanges, Explained — Buy First, Sell Later
A reverse 1031 exchange lets a landlord buy replacement property before selling the old one, using a third-party titleholder to hold it temporarily.
Renting Out an ADU or In-Law Suite: A Tax Guide for Beginners
Renting an ADU or in-law suite means splitting your home's expenses by square footage and reporting the rent as income the IRS expects to see on Schedule E.
Rebate vs Tax Credit for Energy Upgrades — What's the Difference?
A rebate cuts your upfront cost right away, while a tax credit reduces the tax bill you file next April — and landlords need to know which one touches depreciation.
Prorated Rent vs Full First Month Rent: A Landlord's Guide
A tenant moving in on the 17th owes roughly half a month's rent if you prorate by daily rate, not a full month's charge.
Property Tax Breaks and Exemptions for Seniors: What to Know
Senior property tax exemptions are set by your state and county, not the IRS, and most require an application filed by a specific local deadline.
Partial-Year Depreciation in Your First Year as a Landlord
Partial-year depreciation prorates your first deduction based on when the rental was placed in service, not the calendar year, using IRS conventions from Publication 946.
New HOA Treasurer's First 90 Days: A Complete Checklist
New HOA treasurers should reconcile bank accounts, review reserve funds, and confirm 1099 vendor thresholds within the first 90 days on the job.
New Home First Night Setup: A 4-Step Homeowner Checklist
4 things to handle before you unpack a single box — utilities, locks, safety checks, and the paperwork that protects your tax basis for years.
How Adding Someone to Your Deed Affects Cost Basis
Adding a co-owner to your deed splits your home's cost basis into a gift portion and a retained portion, which can raise a future capital gains bill.
Home Office Depreciation Recapture When You Sell Your Home
Depreciation you claimed on a home office under IRC §1250 gets recaptured as taxable gain when you sell, separate from your §121 exclusion.
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