Taxes & Accounting
Deductions, basis, Schedule E, and staying audit-ready.
I Inherited a House — Do I Owe Taxes If I Sell?
Most of the value you inherited isn't taxable at all — thanks to the stepped-up basis. Selling soon after inheriting often means little to no gain.
Do I Depreciate a New HVAC or Expense It?
One IRS test decides whether a rental expense hits Schedule E this year or gets depreciated over decades — miss it and you can lose years of deductions.
FIRPTA and Non-Resident Landlord Tax Withholding
Buying real estate from a foreign seller triggers FIRPTA — typically 15% of the sale price withheld and sent to the IRS at closing. Here's the basic process.
How to Calculate Cost Basis on an Inherited House
An inherited home's cost basis "steps up" to fair-market value at date of death — usually meaning far less taxable gain than the original purchase price would suggest.
Do I Owe Capital Gains After 30 Years in My House?
A long-owned home can outgrow the $250K/$500K Section 121 exclusion — but tracked improvements shrink the taxable gain far more than most owners expect.
How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment
An assessment isn't a final answer. Get the property record card, gather comparable sales, meet your county's deadline, and most disputes resolve in the informal review.
How to Track Rental Property Expenses for Taxes (Without a Shoebox of Receipts)
A simple, repeatable system for capturing every deductible rental expense — so tax season takes an afternoon, not a weekend.
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