Rental property tax strategy and finance
Real estate is the most tax-advantaged asset class an individual investor can own. Depreciation offsets income, expenses are fully deductible, cost segregation accelerates the write-off, and 1031 exchanges defer gains indefinitely. The articles below explain how each mechanism works in plain English. None of this is tax advice. Get a CPA before you act on any specific scenario.
Moving into your 1031 property: the 5-year rule and what most articles get wrong
Yes, you can move into a 1031 property. The 5-year rule, the prorated exclusion, the safe harbor that documents intent, and the tax that survives no matter what.
Read articleThe 1031 exchange timeline: day 0 to day 180, mapped
The 1031 timeline day by day: what has to happen before closing, by day 45, and by day 180, plus where exchanges actually stall and how to build slack into the clock.
Read articleCapital gains on a rental property: the bill is bigger than 15%
The real tax bill when you sell a rental: capital gains, depreciation recapture, NIIT, and state tax, with a worked example, plus the one legal way to defer all of it.
Read articleDST or direct property: what you trade for the easy button
DSTs solve the 45-day identification problem by selling you a fraction of someone else's deal. What you give up, what you keep with direct ownership, and how to decide.
Read articleLike-kind exchange: the most permissive rule in the tax code, explained
Like-kind is the most misunderstood term in Section 1031. What qualifies, what never does, and why the rule is far more permissive than it sounds.
Read articleThe qualified intermediary: the stranger holding all your money
Your QI holds every dollar of your sale proceeds. What a qualified intermediary does, what one costs, and the five questions that separate real ones from cheap ones.
Read articleReverse 1031 exchange: buy first, sell second
A reverse 1031 exchange lets you buy the replacement property before you sell. How the EAT structure works, what it costs, and when it beats the standard exchange.
Read articleThe 401(k) reckoning: when to invest in rental property
Maxing your 401(k) and wondering what's next? Here's when to invest in rental property, the math behind it, and how to start without becoming a landlord.
Read article1031 exchange rental property: the rules, the timeline, and the trap
How a 1031 exchange defers capital gains on rental property. Rules, the 45/180-day timeline, debt matching, worked example, and where most exchanges fail.
Read articleCost segregation vs. straight-line depreciation
Compare cost segregation and straight-line depreciation for rental properties. Learn which strategy works best for your rental portfolio and how to maximize tax deductions.
Read articleRental property tax benefits: What your CPA should be telling you
Depreciation, mortgage interest, cost segregation, 1031 exchanges, and passive loss rules. A complete guide to the tax advantages of rental property investing.
Read articleTalk to an Investment Consultant
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