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7 Questions You Should Ask Your Quantity Surveyor

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Before that time of year rolls around again, when you have to file your tax return, you need to begin preparing your documents. While the income and expenditure are fairly straightforward, most people get stuck while preparing their tax depreciation schedules. That is why most people lean on professional tax consultants for this. If you own an investment property or a rental property, you may also require the help of tax depreciation surveyors who can make an assessment of your property and then prepare the submission schedule. Before you hire the services of such a surveyor, there are some important things which you should ask your quantity surveyor.

1. Do You Have Certified People Or Will You Outsource?

The survey work for property depreciation schedules can’t be done by just anyone; only certified and qualified surveyors can do it. But many tax consulting firms outsource the work of surveying to smaller firms. In such cases, you run the risk of having the survey done by someone who isn’t certified. Therefore, it is vital that you check with the firm as to whether they outsource any of their work.

2. Do You Have Insurance Coverage?

Surveying involves a whole lot of measuring at your property, for which surveyors need to often climb ladders or onto roofs. If they suffer a fall or any other kind of mishap, it would pose a major issue. That is why it is advised that you only hire firms who have insurance coverage.

3. What Are The Services You Provide?

The quantity surveyor tax depreciation only do the survey and measurements. After that their would need to prepare your returns as well. That is why you need to find out whether the firm you are employing only does surveys or can they provide end to end services.

4. Do You Have Any Questions For Me?

Every property has its own special features and would be differently treated by tax laws. Before the surveyor begins his or her work, you need to show them around and ask questions about your property. The answers to those questions and the surveyor’s own questions to you would tell you how well the survey would be done.

5. What Elements Would Be Included In The Depreciation Report?

Like we previously mentioned, a quantity survey is the start of your tax declaration and claims process. The Deppro quantity surveyors would finish their job and hand it over to their colleagues who would complete the rest of the process. You need to know from the surveyor what elements he or she will include in the report because that would determine the tax deduction amount.

6. What Categories of Properties Do You Handle?

It is important to learn what kind of properties their firm specialises in. There are firms which would be doing the surveys for commercial or industrial properties only. So, they might not have the required expertise regarding residential properties. It is preferable to work with someone who knows their stuff.

7. What Is Your Fee Structure?

Last but not the least; you need to know how the surveyor would charge their fees. There are some who charge a flat fee, while there are others who charge as per the square feet area of the property. There could be some others who charge a percentage of the total amount in the depreciation schedule.

Conclusion:

Asking the above questions will not only help you know how professional your quantity surveyor is, but it will also help you learn some extra information about your own property.   If you think there should be some more questions which are important to ask your quantity surveyor, please let us know so that we can share those with our readers and customers in our next post.

Discover the Benefits of Claiming Depreciation for a Commercial Property

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A person buys additional properties with the plan to monetize the assets. This is usually done by renting these out. But many people are not aware that their property can provide monetary benefits outside the rental income too. These benefits are in the form of possible deductions in tax. This blog post will discuss the different aspects of depreciation tax benefit.

How Depreciation Affects Tax?

We all know that an asset has more value when purchased than the same asset a few years later. This common knowledge is called depreciation in finance and accounting syntax. Depreciation refers to the diminishing of the value of any asset with each passing year. When it comes to residential properties, this reduction in value is made up to some extent by the Australian tax rules. The ATO guidelines allow property owners to claim a deduction in tax amount on the basis of this reduction. This deduction is calculated as per the extant investment property depreciation rules.

The deduction in tax payable is applicable to the following two types of assets on residential properties:

1. Capital Works Deductions:

This is the deduction applicable to the capital assets of a property. In simpler language, it refers to the immovable part of a building, like walls, floorings, tiles, doors and windows, wiring, etc. The only thing a house owner needs to keep in mind is the cut off date for the enforcement of this legislation. All properties constructed after 20th July in the year 1982 would be eligible for this deduction. Capital works deductions on properties constructed before this date would be eligible only for repairs, renovations, etc.

2. Plant and Equipment Depreciation:

This is the second way under which claiming depreciation on investment property is allowed under ATO guidelines. This is applicable for all the removable parts of a building. In the ATO guidelines, a complete list of around 1500 such items is provided. Some examples are upholstery, electrical gadgets, air conditioners, etc. A typical building is considered by the ATO to have a useful life of 40 years. But the movable assets listed under plant and equipment have much smaller life spans listed under the guidelines.

Why You Need a Professional Help for Claiming Depreciation?

Most people consider basic financial aspects while purchasing an investment property. But if one considers the tax benefits from the depreciation perspective, the picture changes a lot. The problem with these calculations is that a layman might not be able to do them accurately. A professional company would be able to help in the following two ways:

  • Before purchase, they would help with the calculations of the tax implications of depreciation.
  • After purchase, these companies and their teams would help file tax returns accurately, taking depreciation into consideration.

This is why most prospective buyers consult these experts before the purchase decision.

Conclusion:

A home can be a financial boon in more ways than we think. Experienced and dependable consultants like Deppro can help an investor maximise tax savings by creating an accurate depreciation schedule. They could also ensure that multiple deductions are not claimed by mistake.

10 Things You Need To Tick Off Before You Buy an Investment Property

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When you are in a situation where you are able to put money into an investment property, it’s an extremely exciting time. But if not thought out properly, such an investment could actually push you into financial stress which could lead to mental distress as well. To help you out, here is a quick list of 10 things presented by Deppro Qld that you need to do before and during the purchase of property investment.

  1. Plan well: This is so obvious that it shouldn’t be on this list at all. But lack of planning can cause are series of losses you want to avoid. Things like the location you’re looking to buy at, how much you can afford to spend, who will manage your property, loan implications, property tax depreciation etc need to be well thought out.

 

  1. Consult experts: The first set of people we talk to are our friends and family in the process of decision making. We all like to be able to find someone who has their own investment property. But in order to ensure that your investment property actually provides good returns, you need to take the advice of experts like Deppro Qld.

 

  1. Insure yourself: Assuming that you would need a loan when buying your property, make sure that you have insurance coverage so that your family is not thrown into the deep end if something happens to you.

 

  1. Think like an investor: When it is time to choose your property, try putting yourself in the shoes of the person who would rent it from you.

 

  1. Do your research: You need to be sure about the going rates for not only the properties similar to what you are buying, but also be aware of tax implications of the fixtures and fittings you are using so that you can claim tax deductions on your property depreciation reports.

 

  1. Backup: Buying an investment property is similar to buying a car. You need to have money for the purchase, but you also need to keep a little aside for regular expenses like repairs and utility bills.

 

  1. Sharpen expenses: When you are investing in a property, remember that it is a medium to long term financial investment. Try to bring in some fiscal discipline on other fronts like credit card expenses or other ad hoc expenses.

 

  1. Keep the target in mind: You should spend on your property according to the location of the property and the likely tenants/buyers who would rent/buy from you. If the property is in a high-class neighborhood, for instance, invest in a pool, but otherwise, avoid those sorts of expenses.

 

  1. Choose the right entity: In case you are already burdened with tax commitments, consider buying in the name of a trust fund or get your spouse to buy it. That way you would be able to get the maximum benefit from the depreciation on investment property.

 

  1. Use the laws: When people are considering an investment property, they often use available funds to buy outright. Even if you have your funds, try investing that in a better instrument, and offset your interest expenses by the tax deductions available through law.

Like I said earlier it’s always a great feeling, whether you are planning to purchase your 1st, 2nd or 10th property. So, plan well and prepare yourself completely before your investment.

Do You Really Need A Quantity Surveyor?

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Every team engaged in construction has different specialists with different skillsets. One of the most important and interesting roles is that of a quantity surveyor. This role combines the knowledge of engineering and finance. People argue whether all construction projects need a project surveyor or not. In our opinion, every project should have one. But there is another area of work where the role of quantity surveyors is even less understood.

Tax Returns and Quantity Surveyors

Australian tax rules state that owners of investment properties should file tax returns. This process requires qualified and experienced tax depreciation surveyors. So, let us properly understand the process of property tax. This way, the importance of quantity surveyors can become clearer as well.

When you own a property, there are two types of additions to that property.

  • The first is capital goods, which indicates the permanent structures.
  • The second refers to the extra items which are removable.

Good tax depreciation quantity surveyors can list all the elements of your property. After this, they distribute them into these two categories.

The Contribution of Tax Surveyor in Filing Tax Returns

The reason we need quantity surveyors for this is not only to create a list. With their training and experience, they would be able to put the correct pricing on each item. They can also calculate the depreciation allowable on each item. This would be according to Australian tax rules. Based on the quantity survey, the quantity surveyor tax depreciation list gets created. It is then made part of the owner’s tax returns. The right work by the quantity surveyor would ensure that tax is not paid when unnecessary. It also ensures nothing important is missed during the filing of returns.

The Importance of a Quantity Surveyor

This was only an example of a specific job that is impossible without a quantity surveyor. If a non-qualified person does it, there could be financial and legal implications. But if we talk about general construction teams as well, we can’t ignore the role of a quantity surveyor.

Conclusion:

The cost and efforts involved with hiring qualified Deppro quantity surveyors might be high but they get repaid because of their contributions. This holds true not only in general construction work. It is especially true in specific jobs like tax returns and depreciation lists. The benefits of hiring a professional quantity surveyor are most usually in financial aspects. But they also help in ensuring that the technical aspects are correct too. If your project team does not have a quantity surveyor yet, it is high time you consider it.

Depreciation and Your Investment Property

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When a person buys an investment property, the intention is to generate an additional revenue stream from the rentals. But the process of looking for a good tenant and setting them up is not that easy. Then there is the issue of regular or ad hoc maintenance expenses, which eat away at the rental income. On top of that, there is the matter of paying taxes on the property and its income.

The Australian tax rules have made it possible for homeowners to get some relief from the taxes they need to pay for their property and its income. The rules regarding depreciation residential rental property provide for a reduction on tax on account of the depreciation of the value of the property.

There are two ways in which the deduction can be calculated. It could be either on the capital works or on plant and equipment. It is required that a complete tax depreciation schedule for rental property is created by the owner. This is a specialized job for which experts need to be brought in.

There are several companies which offer this kind of service. They employ qualified quantity surveyors who are trained to create this kind of report. It requires detailed measurements and counting of each and every small and big element on the property. Based on those data points, the complete rental property depreciation report is prepared. This is then used in and submitted along with the tax returns of the property owner.

There are some things to be kept in mind when claiming tax depreciation on investment properties. Here are some of them:

  1. There are cutoff dates for properties laid down. For commercial properties, the commencement date is 20th of July, 1982. For residential properties, the date is 15th of September 1987.
  2. For plant and equipment assets, the effective lives of each element would be taken into consideration. ATO has laid down a detailed list for this, and the tax returns would be filed accordingly.
  3. The individual effective life would also depend on the type of property where the plant and equipment asset has been used.
  4. House owners need to keep in mind that the depreciation rules would only apply if the property is not being occupied by the owners. Therefore, it has to be a rental or investment property for the depreciation rules to be allowable.
  5. The above rule can be relaxed if the property is purchased and owned by a trust or a company instead of an individual. In such cases, the owner (individual) can move in as a tenant of the trust and claim depreciation.

There are several good companies who can help you create the depreciation report for your property in line with the current regulations. They have teams of qualified technical specialists who would help prepare the depreciation reports and file the tax returns accurately.

Are You Missing Out On Tax Depreciation Claims?

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So many Australians miss out on property tax deduction claims every year. Tax depreciation on property investment is a legitimate deduction which the government allows you to claim. Due to the of lack of information on investment property depreciation rules, tax savings worth thousands of dollars are missed out.

Claiming for a tax deduction on the value of your property seems difficult but with the help of a professional expert, it can become really easy. Claiming depreciation can make a huge difference in a property investor’s cash flow. Despite all of this, it is most often missed.

That is where DEPPRO comes in.

What can be Done to Not Miss Out on Tax Depreciation Claims?

In Australia, only 30% of property investors claim deductions for the depreciating value of their property. It is nothing but a non-cash expense which you can claim every year on your property depreciation. You do not need to spend any cash to make this claim.

You are claiming on the declining value of your building or asset. Of course, there are certain conditions like any other tax deduction. If you have a residential property which was built before 1985, then you can claim depreciation on Division 40, Depreciating Assets only. But if it was built after 1985, then you can claim under Division 40 as well as Division 43.

The Tax Depreciation Schedule

A Quantity Surveyor is an official who is professionally qualified to produce a legal tax depreciation schedule by the ATO. It includes the following two divisions:

  1. Division 40: Depreciating Assets: This element of property depreciation schedule is all about assets like plant and equipment, lights, fans, carpets, floating floorboards, smoke alarms, air conditioners, refrigerators and so on. Every item which has a diminishing life is included in this. The tax deduction calculation, according to the investment property depreciation schedule ATO, is carried out based on the effective life of the items.
  2. Division 43: Capital Works Allowance: The immovable parts of the structure like the building, walls, roof, swimming pool, built-in furniture, toilets etc. are a part of this division. The investment property depreciation rules state that this capital works allowance is calculated on the basis of the construction cost of the building and not the current purchasing price. So if you are buying a property, you can claim a deduction based on the original construction cost while the building was made.

How Can DEPPRO Help You?

We have been in the industry for more than 12 years now and have a passion for tax saving. Our team has industry-leading skills and can assist in all areas of investment property taxations. We are always updated and are well-versed with all the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) rulings, investment property depreciation rules, and interpretations for our clients.

The property depreciation schedule made by us ensures that our clients get maximum tax benefits and at the same time it complies with all the latest ATO regulations. If you have the property of your own and make money owning it, get a qualified surveyor immediately to perform a tax depreciation schedule. We have offices all over Australia. Contact the one nearest to you today!

Is it Worth Obtaining a Quantity Surveyor Report?

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Have you invested in a rental property in Australia which was built in a year preceding 1987? If so, then things might be different for you than for those who bought their property in the following years. You may be confused in regards to getting a tax depreciation report from one of the qualified tax depreciation surveyors in your city.

Is obtaining a quantity surveyor’s report worth the effort, time and money? Read on to find out.

What Does a Depreciation Schedule Involve?

A quantity surveyor is a dedicated professional who works on depreciation schedules and the capital allowance of investors. When they complete both, it includes two essential elements: equipment depreciation and capital work deductions.

What Is Capital Works Deduction and Why Is It Important?

Capital works deduction is a form of tax deduction which relates to the structural aspects of a building. These include irremovable or fixed assets like tiles, doors, sinks, windows, walls, roof, etc.

Because it is next to impossible to remove these assets, capital works deduction, in the tax depreciation reports, assumes its importance. This prevents an investor from feeling the pinch on their finances at the subsequent stages.

Is there any Hard-and-Fast-Rule Related to Quantity Surveyors which one Needs to keep in Mind?

For the successful generation of these reports, it is imperative that tax depreciation quantity surveyors, who undertake the responsibility, are registered tax agents. This is all the more important in view of the fact that the information in the document relates to particular tax advice.

How Getting A Quantity Surveyor’s Report Helps?

According to the current version of tax legislation in Australia, any residential or commercial property built before September 15, 1987, and July 20, 1982, respectively, are not eligible for deduction.

As a result, an investor may not even consider the need to obtain a surveyor’s report if their date of purchase of property does not make them eligible for it.

However, it is a good idea to enquire about the possibility for a deduction, even if the property in question is 100 hundred years old. Owners of old properties carry out renovations more often than not, and this makes an investor eligible to make depreciation claims after its purchase.

A new buyer can file a claim for it in the event the previous owner carries out any repair or renovations on it after the aforementioned dates for residential and commercial properties.

So, as you would have come to know, getting a depreciation report is your best bet to make a claim for it in a timely manner.

Whether it is ATO guidelines or other tax depreciation laws in Australia, things keep changing from time to time. Therefore, it is a good idea to get in touch with depreciation service firms such as Deppro Perth. While you may spend a little in terms of fees, the dividends it may pay can make it worth the investment.

Everything International Students Should Know about Doing a Tax Return in Australia

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Tax is always a matter of stress, and for international students, it can become a hectic scenario. Taxes are something that are far from pleasant and may always cause a strain for students. Most of the students in Australia look ahead to the tax time because they expect to get their money back after they complete their tax returns. However, if you have to work on a student visa for 20 hours or less than that you are exempted from paying taxes, to prepare yourself for the Australian tax return. Here in this post, you will gain a brief insight into how can you can go about with the procedures.

Do I Have to Abide by a Tax Return Policies?

If you are working and earning in Australia, then you are liable to file your taxes. Students who are living in Australia for more than six months fall under the tax paying threshold. However, you can also come across certain situations which will restrict you from paying taxes or you may get tax deductions. You must inform the ATO (Australian Tax Office) in that case.

When Can I File My Taxes?

The period for tax return filing is from July 1 to October 31. Individuals who fall under the income tax category have to file their taxes within this duration to avoid any troubles later. Working professionals in the country must abide by this rule so that they have a smooth tax return filing without having to go through the hassle and paying fines which might become difficult for international students. Their job might be at stake if the proper steps are not taken while filing tax returns.

Procedures for Lodging a Tax Return

In the online age, everything is possible sitting at home. Students can log in to myTax browsing through the website by ATO. Further, you can create an account under myGov and link it with the ATO website. Make sure you go through with an authorised tax agent and lodge your paper on the tax return Australia. Moreover, you can use the Tax Help Program which works for training volunteers and help people on how to go about for their tax returns.

International students require their TFN-Tax file number, photo proof, and their income statement. Generally, by June 30, employers present their employees with the income statements and entail everything regarding how much you earn and other details about your work.

Conclusion:

After you have filed your taxes online, you will need to wait for about two weeks to get your refund. If you are a university student, then you can take advice from the economic service agents from the university itself. They have ample information to give you the right idea on tax filing and returns. If you have some queries regarding filing your tax returns, you can call at the Deppro contact number for quick services.

Why Quantity Surveyors Are the Life of the Party

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Popular with the name of “construction economist”, quantity surveyors are the best partners who help you to extract every single penny of profit from your investment property. Along with the cost-efficient planning for your investment, another important function of QS is to facilitate maximum depreciation returns for your property. Tax depreciation quantity surveyors make your investment experience a profitable one.

Who are quantity surveyors?

In layman language, quantity surveyors are professionals who assist you in the construction and maintenance costing of your investment property. They refer you to all the other parties associated like architects, accountants, engineers etc. Facilitating the schedule for the depreciation assets for tax purposes and estimating costs and returns are some of the major functions performed by them.

Benefits of Hiring Tax Depreciation Surveyors

Though there are a number of benefits which can be availed by appointing tax depreciation surveyors for your assistance, the major ones are as follow:

·      Depreciation Schedule:

A depreciation schedule is a complex report that has all your depreciable assets listed on which your returns for the same are calculated. Some investors might make these schedules themselves, but it is beneficial to appoint a professional quantity surveyor to form detailed and errorless schedules. Deppro quantity surveyors also provide such services.

A quantity surveyor aims at helping you to derive all the possible benefits from your property in the short term as well as long term. By giving the responsibility to a professional, you free yourself from the confusing burden. For a single year, the derived benefits might seem less, but when combined and totalled, you can save thousands of dollars over the years.

QS will prepare a depreciation report after inspecting every single depreciable property and by measuring and noting their values. This will carve out the exact construction cost of your building and of all the assets including equipment etc. Once all the information is collected and verified, a report is generated and split categorically under the building, plant, and equipment costs.  This depreciation report can further be sent to the accountants for processing.

This report will help you gain returns on your property against the annual income. A small amount of money paid to the QS would help you derive benefits for decades as the life of the accuracy of a depreciation schedule is 40 years. So you can keep enjoying the long-term benefits over the years.

·      Financial Benefits:

As the schedule can be used for up to 40 years, major deductions can be made in the taxable income over the years for profitable investments. Thus, as an investor, you should be well aware of the derivable profits of your property to make sure that you are being an effective one.

Conclusion:

Thus, a quantity surveyor is considered to be the life of an investment party for no wrong reasons. Many people tend to realise its importance during the later years of investment, whereas, taking the assistance of one in the initial stages can help you save back those important dollars which you might need to recover from the initial establishment expenses and losses of your investment. Hence, it is important to make a wise choice.

How Is Depreciation Applied Following Natural Disasters?

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Annually, people lose millions and millions on their properties owing to unforeseen natural calamities. These unforeseen disasters hit them like a wave leaving nothing but ruins. Natural disasters especially affect realtors and property investors. These participants of the property market more often than not, find themselves in heavy debts and losses.

Such stressful situations call for replacement of assets as well as rebuilding and refurbishing all their entire property.

The brunt of this challenging process has to borne by both the property owner as well as the tenant. However, the final improvement brought upon the property makes it for a better asset. And thus invites a rather increased depreciation deduction tax. This tax depreciation must be studied properly.

How to Maximise As Well As Maintain the Compliance?

The following table will indicate exactly how you can optimise your compliance for depreciation deduction levied on your disaster-ridden property. And hence give you a better insight into depreciation tax benefit.

Asset Properties Covered in Insurance Properties NOT Covered in Insurance
Replaced Will need to make alterations in the Tax Depreciation Report Scraping of the residual value of the replaced asset + calculating depreciation for the new asset.
Repaired Instant deduction of the expenses for repairing + declare any arising income from insurance Instant deduction of the expenses for repairing
Upgraded Will need to make alterations in the Tax Depreciation Report Scraping of the residual value of the replaced asset + calculating depreciation for new asset.

The Jargon of the Table

  • Repaired: It refers to the minor tweaks here and there in the pre-existing asset to restore it. It doesn’t mean improving upon its appearance but only the functionality.
  • Replaced: This refers to procuring a replacement for the pre-existing asset which mimics its exact functionality and usage. In short, a new asset of the same model in place of the original mode.
  • Improved or Upgraded: This refers to the replacement of the damaged asset or machinery. However, here the new model so procured is an improvement or upgrade to the existing asset. Which means a better functioning and more specifications.

The Process

The entire property of availing deppro benefits can seem a little daunting but here’s how it goes down:

In case the quantity surveyor has initially assessed the entire property which is being claimed for then it gets easy. As now it only requires adding alterations to the previous report which can happen at a minimum cost.

But, in case the prior assessment of the property in question didn’t take place, then it gets more cumbersome. As now you need a full inspection followed by creating a report.

This should be noted that the time of the entire procedure is crucial and thus it should be attended as soon as possible. We suggest you to approach our experts with individual situations or crises. This will ensure that all your previous, current as well as future claims are optimised. They will also ensure that if your claims are in compliance with the ATO guidelines or not.

Wrapping-Up:

Disasters don’t come announced, they can hit you anytime, anywhere without notice or warning. Such situations can have repercussions. So it’s best that you’re prepared with all the ins and outs of knowing your depreciation for property.

Our website is specifically curated to deal with such mishaps. Hence, if you’re facing something similar or you may want to be prepped for the future, then contact us. We will tell you all there is to know about the procedure for claiming depreciation on the property as well as its implications.

So what are you waiting for? Contact us today!