How to Maximise Depreciation for Investment Property
One can consider depreciation of a property as a simple deduction on the actual worth owing to the ageing and wear and tear of the property that one owns. It can be termed as the deduction that results out of overtime assets. When it comes to investment, even the most experienced investor tends to overlook the benefits of a depreciation report. While there are accountants for a majority of tasks related to the calculation of taxes, there is hardly anyone who pays attention to depreciation schedule for investment property.
Property Tax Depreciation
The value of a building goes down as it gets older. This is because, in the majority of cases, such buildings show the signs of wear and tear. According to Australian Taxation laws, and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in particular, a property owner can claim depreciation if they generate income from their property.
Tips for Property Tax Depreciation
While your accountant can take care of all the aspects related to your business, they are likely to miss out on a depreciation schedule for investment property. After all, it is a payment which the administration owes to you. Though all accountants never overlook the matter, a majority of them prefer to have it handy while preparing your tax return. So, it is a good idea to reach out to a quantity surveyor for an assessment of your property.
Do Older Properties Offer a Good Depreciation Value?
Contrary to the notion that older properties have no depreciation value, the truth is that every property has some sort of depreciation value if it is used by its owner to generate some kind of income. Though the depreciation of a new property is much more compared to an older one, the latter can also carry a greater value than by virtue of updates and renovations.
Why Attach Importance to Tax Depreciation for Your Property?
On an average, about 80% of investors do not mind promoting the depreciation deductions. If you happen to be one of them, it is high time you made efforts to maximise it as far as possible. What’s more, the ATO has a provision wherein it allows taxpayers to go back to two previous tax returns and amend them to claim deductions. So, if you haven’t been claiming depreciation on your property, utilise it to your fullest advantage.
What to Remember for a Higher Yield on Investment Property?
An important thing to remember in connection with depreciation is that a majority of homeowners forget to take renovation into account while filing their tax returns. With every renovation, there is also the possibility of the existing assets being replaced by something new. And this makes for a cogent reason to qualify for depreciation. The ATO provides for claiming the remnant of value for depreciation in such cases.
Never miss the opportunity of having a quantity surveyor inspect your property in accordance with investment property depreciation rules. Make sure that they document each and everything as the ATO is likely to take their report into account. Once the renovation is done, ensure that the same surveyor takes a look at the property and notes down the details of it to determine the assets that have been removed or replaced.
Final Thoughts:
As a standard rule, remember to only get in an experienced quantity surveyor when you plan to get your depreciation schedule done. While there are other low-cost DIY options that you can explore as well, you may eventually end up spending more. Furthermore, the remuneration of a quantity surveyor, even as it proves to be more than that of your liking, is 100% tax deductible. Thus, even if you pay them a higher fee, it wouldn’t hurt you as you would get it back.
