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Planning to demolish your existing property to construct an investment property? Consider these factors

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Depreciation can never be a sole factor for an investor to construct a new investment property. However, it does impact the cash flow of your property. Not to mention, an expert quantity surveyor will help you discover depreciating assets for tax purposes. Investors generally demolish their family home to construct a duplex and live in one part and rent out the other section. It may cost a little more to construct a duplex than a solo freestanding house. But it is more economical than constructing two single freestanding houses.

Here are some factors that you should not overlook:

What is a duplex?

It is a residential home that has got two units under the same roof. The two units however share a common party wall that separates the building into two different units. Each unit is considered as a separate home with its own facilities, entrance, and yard. With a duplex, there is the advantage of a greater asset portfolio and higher equity. It can help in funding future projects and lets you accomplish your property goals much earlier.

Steps in constructing an investment property

There are various steps that need to be followed when constructing an investment property. You must ensure that you have acquired experts. The house that you seek to demolish should be a primary place of residence. It should not be a family home. You need to demolish it as the duplex must be constructed on vacant land. The investor must have a scrapping report which will let the investor claim depreciation on investment property. This report will help you to save thousands of dollars by way of claiming an instant tax deduction for scrap value being decided by an expert quantity surveyor.

Development application:

An expert architect will help in designing the home for the property investor. They should also help the investor through the essential development application process with the council. In case the investor plans to construct an off the plan house, a Complying Development Certificate can be utilized instead of a DA. This will help to streamline the procedure and reduce the lag time. You must evaluate depreciation on residential rental property in a bid to make an effective depreciation claim.

Occupancy certificate:

During the process of construction, you must establish contact with the builder so that you can stay updated on the construction progress. You must ensure that the construction team are experts who have a license and previous experience. It will ensure a top-quality final product. After the project is over, it is necessary to get hold of an occupation certificate. The certificate will help in authorizing the occupation and use of a new unit. It is significant because it will ensure that the property becomes habitable.

Conclusion:

Often financial institutions or banks may make it mandatory to seek the services of quantity surveyors. An expert quantity surveyor from Deppro Victoria will also prepare the property tax depreciation schedule for the property investors. The cost reports are required by banks to understand the development expenditure.

How Multiple Owners Increase Depreciation Claims

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One of the most popular trends in the real estate world recently is co-ownership. A rising number of property investors are choosing to own properties together, and there are some great reasons behind it. Co-ownerships of properties are increasing the purchasing power, which is particularly significant in large cities. Co-ownership also relieves the burden of maintaining a property. The cost of repair and maintenance could be carried by multiple parties instead of one person.

But beyond all of this, co-ownership can also assist in claiming depreciation on property, giving a chance to depreciate more assets at a higher rate. Let’s understand how this works.

What is a split report?

A split report, as the name suggests, splits the value of the assets in proportion to each co-owner’s interest. We calculate depreciation on rental property or private property only after the split. Thus, a split report allows for tax depreciation based on the interest of each co-owner, instead of an aggregate depreciation.

The rationale behind the idea is quite clear. As we know, tax depreciation is a process where the depreciation in the cost of assets within a property is considered as another expense, thus allowing for larger tax returns. When a split report comes into the picture, the distribution of assets too is made according to the percentage of ownership of each co-owner. This increases the number of assets eligible for a write-off or a low-value pool.

The whole tactic accelerates the depreciation benefits for the co-owners, making it a very profitable technique in the early years of property ownership.

Scenarios where split report works

A split report is applicable wherever there is a scope of claiming tax depreciation on the assets of your property. Let’s try to understand how multiple owners are better than a single one.

Consider a scenario where property investors are allowed to receive a write-off on assets that have a starting value of $300 (or less). Typically, this severely restricts the write-off a single owner could get on a property. However, in the case of co-ownership with an equal partnership, each owner is allowed to claim a write-off on items with a value of less than $300. This means that the co-owners can collectively claim ownership of $600 value.

A similar tactic could be employed in case of low-value pooling. Suppose that if the interest of the owner for any asset is less than $1000 in value, the asset would be considered low-value. The owner gets a Deppro contact number and gets told that he could claim them at a rate of 18.75 percent in the first year and 37.5 percent from second year. However, when there is a 50:50 co-ownership, each owner is allowed to claim assets with interest less than $1000, thus allowing to put a total claim worth $2000.

Conclusion:

Asset depreciation is a significant tax deduction for property owners, something to consider during a Deppro review. However, this is far from the only benefit that co-ownership offers. If you are looking to invest in a property, doing so with others can hold some long-term benefits for you. Contact us today to chat about your options.

5 Smart Ways for Investors to Use the Extra Cash from Depreciation

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Do you know that you can improve your cash flow with estimate tax returns? This happens because depreciation essentially lowers taxable income which means you can foresee more precisely and put more money in your pocket at tax time. When people get this extra cash in their pocket, they tend to put this money into savings, buying a property, car, going on a holiday, or even put it towards the daily living expenses. But if you are an investor and want to use this extra cash in smarter ways, here are few options for you:

1. Pay Your Debts:

It is always best to do the necessary things rather than buying a new car etc. If you have any major debts, this is a very good chance for you to reduce or eliminate them.

2. Expand Your Portfolio:

Your financial advisor will tell you that modifying or diversifying is a great way to reduce risk and is important for your long-term financial success. When you have a modified portfolio, different investments are likely to react differently to the same event; which means, if one of your areas is suffering, you will still have another area growing. This will save you from a significant financial loss.

3. Invest in a Renovation in Your Properties:

It is always a good idea to keep your investment property prim and proper. Try to invest in high quality appliances and change the overall look with a fresh coat of paint. Using this extra cash from property depreciation tax deduction to improve your current investment property is a nice idea. Renovations obviously also boost rental returns and increase the overall property value.

4. Expand Your Business:

When you are a commercial property investor or in a business of a tenant, extra cash never goes in vain. Depending on how your business is travelling, you can use that extra cash to expand the horizon. It means expanding the business or investing in other properties for business. For example, you can buy new properties and equipment for new properties.

5. Grow Your Portfolio:

As an investor, you should never stop at one property. You will experience greater success and returns by growing your property portfolio. But you have to consider this only if this works for you and your financial situation and fits you right with your investment goals. It is always a good idea to do some research to make sure you are investing in the right area to maximize capital growth and rental returns.

Consult an Advisor

It is important to note that these are only generalized ways to invest your money in better ways. It is always best to consult Deppro quantity surveyors to determine the best course of action for your circumstances.

Bottom Line:

There are many other ways in which you can boost your cash returns from the tax return you get in your pocket. However, you need to go through the ATO tax depreciation schedule for a detailed picture.

3 Facts about Quantity Surveyors You Must Cross-check When Selecting One for Obtaining a Depreciation Schedule

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Before you purchase a property from an investment point of view, your accountant or your rental property manager will always advise you to consult a quantity surveyor, especially when dealing with  depreciation tax deductions. A quantity surveyor specializes in estimating the value of your assets for depreciation purposes. But before you deal with a quantity surveyor, you need to learn certain facts about them, which are discussed below:

1. Quantity Surveyors Are All Acknowledged by the Australian Taxation Office

As mentioned in the beginning, a quantity surveyor is acknowledged as a professional who is eligible to estimate your construction cost that can be eliminated for tax depreciation. A quantity surveyor specializes in preparing tax depreciation reports for you. They can come up with a comprehensive tax depreciation schedule that outlines all the deductions you are eligible to claim. Though these deductions vary depending on your circumstance and the type of property purchased, the construction starting date, any renovations that have taken place, and the moment you exchanged contracts to purchase the property.

2. Quantity Surveyors Hold the Required Industry Qualifications

You are advised to do a background check before you appoint a quality surveyor. Make sure he is an authentic tax agent with a registration certificate for the tax depreciation work. There is an appropriate standard of professional and ethical conduct and regulations provided by the 2009 Tax Service Act (TASA) that every tax agent and financial adviser have to obey. The Tax Practitioners Board also says that the quantity surveyors who are preparing the report must be acknowledged by the Tax Service Act 2009.

3. Ask Your Quantity Surveyor All the Questions about Depreciation Schedule

You should opt for tax depreciation quantity surveyors who can inspect the site to estimate the tax depreciation properly. If a quantity surveyor refuses to visit your property, there are high chances that they may miss evaluating some assets and henceforth will not be able to include them in the final tax depreciation report.

Bottom Line

A good quantity surveyor will cover the depreciation of all your assets in their depreciation report and will always find a way to help you claim the maximum deductions at the time of tax return. You can always check online for more information on Property Investment returns.

Can I Back-claim for Depreciation on My Rental Property?

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Did you own a property for several years but fail to claim depreciation? If so, this unfortunately also implies that you must have over-paid your taxes for all these years. You can heave a sigh of relief as you can claim back over-paid amount from ATO when you prepare your property depreciation schedule. However, your earlier tax lodgements and personal situation will decide how many years’ tax you can back-claim. You should also seek advice from a professional who will give you detailed information on this front.

How Many Years of Depreciation will you be able to Back-Claim?

As per ATO rules, the law has set some limits for amending your tax assessment. The time limit has been set for two years for individuals and small business organisations. For other taxpayers, the time limit is four years. And the time limit will be calculated as:

If you are a sole trader and get notice of assessment on November 12, 2017, the two-year amendment duration begins on November 13, 2017. It will end after two years on November 12, 2019. You must take everything into consideration when you decide to lodge an Australian tax return.

Amendment Request

You will be allowed to file more than one amendment request within a period of the review. It also implies that individuals are permitted to amend nearly 2 years earlier tax returns. If you happen to be the beneficiary of a trust, four years limit for amendments will apply. Additionally, all remaining entities like trusts, organizations, and self-controlled super fund may amend tax returns lodged in the last 4 years as a standard. Depreciation residential rental property helps in reducing your tax liabilities to a considerable extent.

How to Back-claim for Earlier Years’ Depreciation?

When you desire to back-claim for earlier years, you should file a request for an amendment to the ATO. The ATO will not be charge any fee in case you request an amendment. Additionally, you will not be required to send yet another tax return unless and until they ask you to0. You will be able to request an amendment in several ways. You should get in touch with an accountant as they have the expertise and can execute it with the least effort. We can cite an example. For instance, you bought a 2 years old investment property in the year 2017. But you were not aware that you could benefit by claiming depreciation. The good thing is that you will be able to request amendments for your 2019 and 20219 tax returns. You can also claim deductions in your 2020 tax return and in the coming years as well.

Conclusion:

You may claim depreciation for the years that you failed to claim. It is worth noting that ATO permits you to backdate depreciation by two years in several cases. You should evaluate all these factors prior to calculating your rental home returns. Also, properties constructed during various time periods must be claimed according to different available methods. There is no one set method for all the properties and, depreciation percentage will be calculated on the basis of the date when construction commenced on the property.

Bought an investment property late this financial year? Make it count, claim your deductions!

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It doesn’t matter when you bought an investment property. You may have thought about buying the property a few weeks back before the financial year ends. But, in this case, it’s worth opting for tax depreciation schedules. While such schedules last for a longer period of time, these include the prime cost method apart from the diminishing value method. The report will give you the details of how much the investor can claim the tax depreciation. So, let’s take a look at how you claim the deductions in the financial year.

About cost write-offs

Now, let’s say, you own a property for only three months or days as on June 30. In this case, you can claim for an immediate write-off, pro-rate of building, and low-cost assets. But, if the building is 25 years old, then you can only claim a deduction of up to 2.5% ever year. While the deduction is on the original cost of the property, you can claim it up to 40 years. In case you don’t know the building cost, then you can approach a quantity surveyor. Apart from helping you with the cost, he would also able to assist you with the depreciation schedule.

But, regardless of what it might be, investors can foresee the best capital growth prospects in the years ahead. According to the property report, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney are some of the locations where there’s a potential for growth.

About immediate write-off assets

Under immediate write-off assets, you can claim only for things that cost not more than $300. These include door closers, exhaust fans, smoke alarms, and other things you may not use often at the property. Additionally, if the price of the brand-new asset lies between $300 and $1000, then you can expect a depreciation of 18.75% for the first year. This deduction is done based on the original value of the asset. Under the category, you can expect the depreciation on ceiling fans, range hoods, garage door motors, and any other things.

 

When it’s time to change the infrastructure, this is the best time to buy any new items for the property. Moreover, after you install the item, you can claim the depreciation in the year’s Australian tax return. However, many individuals and accountants are unaware of how to claim the deduction. Hence, when you purchase the investment property, you should check for the depreciation deductions for the financial year.

Conclusion:

If the property is undergoing construction work, then think about buying it before June 30. If you buy the property beyond the date, then you may have to wait for a year to claim the deductions. Way ahead, once you purchase the property before the specified date, then you would able to recover some cost through savings. The savings refers to the amount you will make from depreciation. But, if you are planning to purchase a property, then you can seek a quote. This would give you a fair idea about whether you would improve the tax returns. For any queries, you could contact a team dealing in Capital Claims Tax Depreciation. You could also contact experts to get the details of depreciation residential rental property.

4 Important Things That Your Tax Depreciation Schedule Must Include

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A depreciation schedule has emerged as something that every individual investor must invest in. It can assist you to reduce the tax you need to pay apart from enhancing the return on investment for your property. When you decide to claim depreciation on your investment property, you will require an investment property depreciation schedule. And, the federal tax depreciation schedule must be prepared with the help of an expert quantity surveyor. The expert will be listing your entire depreciable items that may include effective life that remained in every item. The reason why it must be prepared by a quantity surveyor is that they have been recognised by ATO.

Here are some of the crucial things that your tax depreciation schedule must include:

1. Common indoor items:

A professional quantity surveyor must include common indoor items while preparing a tax depreciation schedule. You are eligible to claim depreciation on your unit’s assets. And, you can also claim for assets that you share with other units in the apartment complex. However, you will be allowed to claim your share of those assets. These common items may include fire extinguishers, AC units, and lifts, among others. You will also be entitled to claim for ventilation and hot water systems. Expert quantity surveyors from Deppro can effectively prepare your depreciation schedule and minimize your tax liability.

2. Scrapped objects:

When you carry out renovations on your property, you may be left with some assets that don’t have to use anymore. Many people tend to dump the scrapped objects sans giving any second thought. Old objects have a scrapping and residual value. You will be eligible to claim a final depreciation sum on an object that you plan to chuck away after renovation.

3. Common outdoor objects:

You can also claim depreciation on common outdoor objects. It is because any object outside the apartment does possess value to you. It may include the fences, pathways, several landscaping objects like pergolas. You can also make a claim on a shared swimming pool too. These items will find their way into your depreciation schedule. However, you may not be able to claim for every common outdoor object. Meanwhile, you must be continuously updated about the ATO depreciation rates.

4. Design professional’s fees:

It is worth noting that you may include fees you paid to your design and construction expert in your tax deductions. Your depreciation schedule should account for the expenses of these construction works. It will include the amount you paid to a designer who conducted work on the project.

Conclusion:

The above expenses will help to maximising your claims. The expert QS will help in preparing your rental property depreciation report. Meanwhile, don’t forget to include the money you paid to the council. As you need to pay fees to the council for several services. These are the expenses that you may incur with lodging application fees or securing council permits. If your building is your own property, you may have to spend money on infrastructure. So, your depreciation report must include the above expenses.

Benefits and Shortcomings of Renting a Furnished Property

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When a property owner plans to rent their house, there are many things that come along with it. Renting in a furnished or unfurnished format is just another thing to consider. However, there are various advantages that an investor can enjoy by renting their property as a fully furnished residence, especially depreciation for tax purposes. However, one needs to take into account all the factors to determine whether letting the property in a furnished state outweighs letting it out in an unfurnished condition.

Disadvantages of renting a furnished property

Though there are many advantages of renting a furnished property owing to the tax benefits, there are a few disadvantages too. The first shortcoming is that you are required to spend oodles of money when you plan to furnish your home. In no way, is it a cheap investment; expect it to cause a money drain. On the other hand, you may not be sure about how your tenants will look after your possessions. Finding people who can do justice to your property is a challenging task. Thus you may always find yourself in skeptical mode worrying if your belongings are in safe hands.

Advantages of renting a furnished property

On the contrary, there are a few reasonable advantages to renting a furnished property. A furnished property makes your house look appealing. Thus you can increase the weekly rent amount. A furnished house attracts the customers; there are less chances that your home will face rejection and lie vacant for a long time. Apart from all these benefits, one of the major benefits that one can redeem is tax benefits. Yes, furnishing is proportional to high weekly rentals and property tax depreciation at the same time.

Depreciation benefits for a well-furnished property

Renting a fully-fledged property allows some benefits re: depreciation deductions. The house depreciation report depends a lot on the circumstances and the property type that the investors are planning to rent. The owners can claim a deduction even on the plants and equipment that exist in the property based on the life of the items. Yes, all your smoke alarms, oven, fixtures, etc. can also be listed down for a tax rebate. The depreciation rates of these commodities are generally higher than that of capital works or construction.

Though you may feel that furnishing your property may cost you a few more bucks, it can serve fruitful to you in the long run. The initial investment can bring in long term benefits of claiming tax rebates every year.

Bottom Line:

Seeking advice from experts and getting them to prepare property depreciation reports can further help you to reap more benefits by using their years of expertise and knowledge.

Claiming the Maximum Deductions Out of Your Rental Property

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Are you paying lots of taxes? Worry no more. You must start checking your options – can you claim depreciation on a rental property. Investing in property has already emerged as a top choice for many individuals. Additionally, there are several expenditures that you may claim in the form of tax deductions from a rental property. There are scenarios when allowable deductions may surpass rental income and put you in a loss position. It is also known as negative gearing.

Given below are some costs that will help you enhance your deduction on your rental property:

1. Borrowing costs:

This expenditure is linked to the fee produced when borrowing money for the purchase of a property. It is worth noting that these expenditures are eligible for deductions over a period of loan or more than 5 years period. For this, the total borrowing expenditure must be over $100. You will be able to claim several borrowing expenditures which may include Loan establishment fees, mortgage broker fees, stamp duty levied on the mortgage, lender’s mortgage insurance among others.

2. Gardening fees:

These costs are also eligible for deduction. This will include dump fees, tree cutting charges, replacement costs incurred in garden tools, sprays, fertilisers, mower expenses, etc. You may speak to leading professionals as well if you face difficulties in calculating your tax depreciation cost.

3. Land Tax:

Land tax is the tax levied on the value of the land which is also tax-deductible. The bill of assessment of the land tax payable will be provided soon after the land tax registration form is submitted.

4. Repair and maintenance cost:

The cost that you incur when doing repairs and maintenance is also deductible. However, the cost can be claimed at a specific rate every year. Repairs are referred to as the cost that you bear when there is damage or deterioration to the property. For instance, when you replace a part of a window damaged during a tornado or hurricane, it may also include repairing electrical appliances, plumbing, painting the rental property, and repairing due to falling of tree branches, etc.

5. Telephone expenditures:

You can also obtain deductions on expenses incurred due to telephone calls. The telephone calls that you make while maintaining the investment property are always tax-deductible. You should calculate precisely all the allowable depreciation on rental property to maximise your deduction.

6. Water expenditures:

It is interesting to note that water rates are also tax-deductible. However, it will happen only in those scenarios when you pay the water bills and not your tenant.

7. Stationary and postage expenses:

This may include the expenses linked to the purchase of pens, paper, or various other office stationery items. It will also comprise the postage used for a rental property to communicate with agents or tenants. These expenses will be deductible.

Conclusion:

Building tax depreciation may also include various expenses for which you may claim a deduction. You may also seek deductions on agent fees and landlord insurance to cover the property from being damaged.

Uncovering the Tax Benefits of Commercial Property Depreciation

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Are you facing difficulties deciding whether to invest in a commercial or residential property for your portfolio? It may become difficult to comprehend tax depreciation allowances available for investors of commercial property over those available for residential properties. There are scores of rules that are applicable and differences in depreciation discovered may vary considerably. However, when you gain awareness on commercial property depreciation, it will assist you in making informed decisions. You must acquire detailed knowledge of depreciation rules for rental property and commercial properties.

Given below are some ways that will help you in enhancing your tax benefits:

1. Are older buildings eligible for building allowance?

The building allowance can be described as a decline in the value of commercial property’s concrete, mortar, brickwork, concrete, etc. The date when construction began will help in deciding what building allowance you may claim. For non-residential properties, allowance is kept at varying interest rates. It is 2.5% (20 July 1982 – 21 August 1984), 4% (22 August 1984 – 15 September 1987), and 2.5 % (16 September 1987 – Onwards). You should have detailed knowledge of investment property depreciation rules but if you don’t, contact Deppro today to learn more.

2. Claimable objects differ by industry and actual life:

Every year, the ATO prepares a list of assets that you can and cannot claim. Commercial property owners do not have their own list. However, some assets are eligible to be claimed at varying rates to residential properties. For example, carpets are eligible to be claimed for a period of eight-year in commercial and ten years for residential. You will also find industry-specific assets that the ATO has specified for depreciation claims. And, if you have a restaurant, you can claim items in particular to your line of business. It is important to get the property valuation done by an expert.

3. Tax break assists small-time business owners:

It is worth noting that small business owners can significantly enhance their cash flow with the help of a tax break. According to the May 9, 2017, federal budget, the immediate asset write-off got stretched till June 30, 2018. The federal budget projected to stretch the legislation in 2018 once again and, after a long postponement, the extension of legislation was passed by Senate on September 12, 2018.

Conclusion:

The bigger the building, the more you may claim. The height of the building may play an important role in the amount of depreciation available for property owners. You may refer to ATO property depreciation rules. Bigger structures may attract increased deductions because there is more capital works expenditure involved in the building construction. And, multi-story buildings largely have common property assets like lifts and fire services that may lead to plant and equipment depreciation.