Tax Decisions for Business and Rental Owners

Choose the decision you need to make

Explore cost segregation, rental operations, prior-year corrections, business planning and advisor selection. Each guide explains what records to prepare and what questions to resolve. Cost segregation is separately priced from advisory. Worked examples are hypothetical unless a page expressly identifies a documented result.

Cost segregation decisions

• Is Cost Segregation Worth It for a Rental Property?
• Cost Segregation Study Pricing
• What Does a Residential Cost Segregation Study Include?
• How Long Does a Cost Segregation Study Take?
• Documents Needed for a Cost Segregation Study
• When Should You Order a Cost Segregation Study?
• Can You Use Your Cost Segregation Deduction This Year?
• What Happens After a Cost Segregation Study Is Finished?
• When Cost Segregation May Not Be Worth It
• How to Read a Cost Segregation Report

Residential property types

• Cost Segregation for Single-Family Rentals
• Cost Segregation for Duplexes, Triplexes, and Fourplexes
• Cost Segregation for Small Apartment Buildings
• Cost Segregation for Condos and Townhomes
• Cost Segregation for Vacation Rental Cabins
• Cost Segregation for Beach Rental Properties
• Cost Segregation for Furnished Mid-Term Rentals
• Cost Segregation for Newly Constructed Rentals
• Cost Segregation After a Rental Renovation
• Cost Segregation for a Residential Rental Portfolio

Short-term rental planning

• Short-Term Rental Tax Planning: A Practical Guide
• The Seven-Day Average-Stay Rule Explained
• Material Participation for Short-Term Rental Owners
• How to Document Short-Term Rental Participation Hours
• Can You Use a Property Manager and Still Materially Participate?
• Spousal Participation in a Short-Term Rental
• Personal Use of a Short-Term Rental
• Buying and Furnishing an STR Near Year-End
• Short-Term Rental Tax Planning for W-2 Earners
• First-Year Short-Term Rental Tax Checklist

Long-term rental planning

• Long-Term Rental Tax Planning: A Practical Guide
• Why Rental Losses May Not Reduce Your Current Tax Bill
• Real Estate Professional Status: Qualification and Documentation
• Rental Real Estate Grouping Elections
• What Happens to Suspended Rental Losses?
• Repair or Improvement? Rental Property Expense Decisions
• Converting a Primary Residence Into a Rental
• Renting a Property to Family Members
• Tax Planning When You Own Both STRs and LTRs
• Year-End Tax Checklist for Long-Term Rental Owners

Depreciation and return corrections

• Missed Rental Depreciation: Form 3115 or an Amended Return?
• What Is a Section 481(a) Depreciation Adjustment?
• Cost Segregation on a Property Purchased Years Ago
• Your Rental Depreciation Schedule Is Missing: What Next?
• Correcting the Wrong Depreciable Basis on a Rental
• Correcting Land and Building Allocations
• Preventing Double-Counted Furniture and Improvements
• What a Prior-Year Tax Return Review Can Find
• How Far Back Can a Tax Return Be Corrected?
• What Happens If You Never Claimed Rental Depreciation?

Property basis and sales

• Which Rental Purchase Closing Costs Affect Tax Basis?
• How Seller Credits Affect Rental Property Basis
• Furniture and Appliance Depreciation for Rental Owners
• Bonus Depreciation for Rental Property Owners
• Section 179 Versus Bonus Depreciation for Rental Assets
• Depreciation Recapture After Cost Segregation
• Should You Do Cost Segregation Before Selling a Rental?
• Selling a Rental: Taxable Gain Versus Cash at Closing
• 1031 Exchanges After a Cost Segregation Study
• Inherited and Gifted Rental Property: Basis Differences

Business and rental ownership

• Tax Planning for Business Owners Who Also Own Rentals
• Owning Your Business Premises Through a Separate Entity
• Self-Rental Rules for Business Owners
• Can Rental Losses Offset Business Income?
• Coordinating Your Business and Rental Tax Returns
• Why Rental Real Estate in an S Corporation Needs Careful Review
• C Corporations and Rental Property Ownership
• Buying a Building for Your Business: Tax Planning Before Closing
• Cost Segregation for an Owner-Occupied Business Property
• Year-End Planning Across a Business and Rental Portfolio

Proactive business advisory

• Tax Planning Versus Tax Preparation
• What Should a Written Tax Plan Include?
• S Corporation Versus C Corporation for a Profitable Business
• Reasonable Compensation for S Corporation Owners
• Accountable Plans for Business Owners
• Home Office Expenses for S Corporation Owners
• The Augusta Rule for Business Owners
• Retirement Plan Options for Profitable Business Owners
• QBI Deduction Planning for Business Owners
• Quarterly Tax Planning Checklist for Business Owners

Buyer guides and comparisons

• Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Cost Segregation Firm
• What Your Cost Segregation Quote Should Include
• Best Cost Segregation Providers for Residential Rental Owners
• Cost Segregation Software Versus a Professional Study
• A Standalone Cost Segregation Study Versus Coordinated Tax Implementation
• How to Choose a CPA for a Short-Term Rental
• How to Choose a Tax Advisor for a Business and Rental Portfolio
• Best Tax Advisory Firms for Business Owners
• Tax Advisor Pricing: How to Compare Engagements
• Signs You Need More Than Annual Tax Preparation

Worked examples and implementation

• Residential STR Cost Segregation Worked Example
• Long-Term Rental Cost Segregation Worked Example
• Business Owner With Rental Properties Worked Example
• Missed Depreciation Correction Worked Example
• Residential Rental Portfolio Worked Example
• S Corporation Owner Tax Planning Worked Example
• Switching CPAs: A Business and Rental Owner Checklist
• Preparing for Your First Tax Advisory Call
• Your Tax Plan Has Not Been Implemented: What to Do
• From Tax Strategy to Filed Return: The Implementation Process