Taxes & Accounting
Deductions, basis, Schedule E, and staying audit-ready.
Is a Rental Roof a Repair or Improvement for Taxes? BAR Test
Patching 20 shingles after a storm is usually a repair you deduct this year, but replacing the whole roof is an improvement you capitalize and depreciate.
How to Deduct Rental Expenses Paid With a Personal Card (2026)
Paying for a rental repair with your personal Visa doesn't block the deduction, but you need a paper trail that ties the charge to the property, not just the card.
When Is a Rental "Placed in Service" for Depreciation?
A rental is "placed in service" the day it's ready and available for rent, not the closing date or the day a tenant moves in.
When a Tenant Pays for Repairs, Is It Taxable Income?
The IRS treats tenant-paid repair money as rental income you must report, but the repair cost is usually deductible against it in the same year.
What to Fix First in a Fixer-Upper: A Priority Checklist
Fix the roof, electrical, and foundation before anything cosmetic — and know whether each repair is a tax-deductible expense or a capitalized improvement.
Tenant Won't Let You In for Repairs? Here's What to Do
A tenant who blocks a scheduled repair visit is still bound by the lease and state entry law — here's how to respond without triggering a bigger dispute.
First 90 Days as a New Homeowner — A Tax & Records Checklist
In your first 90 days as a new homeowner, four things matter most: paperwork, property tax filings, a maintenance baseline, and a basis file the IRS will one day ask about.
What Adds to Your Home's Cost Basis? A Room-by-Room List
A $2,500 line item can be a same-year deduction or added to your cost basis for decades — the room you're standing in decides which.
What a Qualified Intermediary Does in a 1031 Exchange
A qualified intermediary holds your sale proceeds and prepares the paperwork so an IRC §1031 exchange isn't disqualified by touching the cash yourself.
Well Pump Runs but No Water: 6 Fast Fixes to Check First
A well pump that runs but delivers no water almost always traces to one of six spots: the switch, the tank, the prime, or a broken pipe underground.
Vacation-Home Loss Limits — The Rental-Use Deduction Cap Explained
A vacation home you also use personally triggers IRS §280A rules that can cap or delay your rental-loss deduction until you sell or rent out more days.
Basement Rental Unit: What to Check Before You Legalize It
A legal basement rental unit needs a permit, a code inspection, and a tax plan — skip any one and you're exposed to fines, denied claims, or an audit.
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