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6 Things That Affect Cash Flow When Property Investing

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Cashflow maximisation is a very smart option if you wish to maintain your property portfolio. With having the stability of your cash flow situation, you can continue growing your portfolio. However, having a negative balance of cash flow can really restrict you from procuring more properties. Elements like tax depreciation can have an impact on such situations.

So how can you keep your cash flow in positives? Many investors perceive aspects like rent to be affecting their cash flow. However, there are six other factors that contribute to this.

1. Rent:

Rent is one of the smoothest ways to have a steady rental income thus have a better cash flow position. In order to maximise the rent, you need to make sure that the rental property has a substantial yield; and Also that the vacancy periods are minimized. Understanding the tax depreciation investment property may help to avoid extended vacancies.

Another way to avoid these vacancies is by procuring properties in capital cities because then there will be constant high demand.

2. Loan Repayments:

Cash flow gets really chopped off due to the loan repayment. A simple way to tackle this situation is by selecting a loan plan which is interest-only.
Since the property will be an investment the only goal will be to service the debt through the rent received. Taking a look at your depreciation schedule may give you some perspective.

3. Fees of Body Corporate:

We seldom get in touch with body corporate and it requires a hefty fee. However, it is better to completely avoid them since they can create a major leakage of cash flow. If you contact a professional for your depreciation on investment property ATO, he will furnish you with the same advice.

4. Council Rates:

Council rates are another medium to chop your weekly profits, that’s why you need to reduce them. The most optimal way to do so is by completely avoiding the high end of the given markets. Since that is where you will find the rates to be higher. Instead, use this money to have your depreciation schedule made.

5. Maintenance:

This is a very unpopular opinion but the maintenance cost is, in fact, the deadliest of them all. One of the most dangerous things you can do as a property investor is to buy an old property that requires hundreds of thousands worth of refurbishing and constant maintenance. Thus, it is better if you buy a new property.

6. Depreciation:

We have been hinting this throughout the post and we would finally like to talk about the importance of tax depreciation. People perceive depreciation as a deduction of value but what they miss out is that depreciation incurs a bigger tax return. Thus play smart here and buy newer properties since they get the most depreciation in the first few years.

Wrapping-Up:

We have spelled out everything you can do to increase that cash flow and keep it in the positive. If there is one takeaway we want you to have is to make use of that tax return on depreciation and get your depreciation schedule made.

4 Tax Deductions Everyone Should Know While Investing in Property

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Many people lack awareness about one of the most profitable tax deductions investors use to make a purchase economical. Interest has emerged as one of the major expenses of buying an investment property. And, a large number of people are not aware that mortgage interest payments on an investment property is tax-deductible. For the benefit of investors, interest has emerged as a cost that is deductible from rental income; it can help in minimising your tax obligations. If you are planning to invest, it is ideal to gain some knowledge of property investment. You should seek the services of experts for claiming depreciation on investment property.

Below are some of the main tax deductions that you should be aware of:

1. Maintenance and repair cost:

In order to maintain your investment property, you may have to indulge in some maintenance and repair costs. There are various types of repairs and maintenance such as repairing a leaking roof or fixing a damaged tap; these costs are all tax-deductible. Your property agent’s charges and insurance will also be deductible. You can claim the costs of running your home office like electricity, internet or rent to the level you use it for investment. Your advisor’s fees, accountancy fees, and property investing subscriptions also fall in the category of tax-deductible items.

2. Loan interest:

It is noteworthy that annual interest paid on investment loans will be tax-deductible. You should asses your property investment returns with the utmost care. An experienced investor knows that interest on borrowed money for investment property is deductible. It does not matter whether the money is for stamp duty or legal fees. You only have to prove that the funds are related to the investment purchase. And, it holds true whether you borrowed the funds from a bank or from different property’s equity.

3. Depreciations:

Many people frequently ignore depreciation deductions in old properties. They are under the notion that old properties lack depreciation value. However, this is not true. If you make any renovations or improvements to an older property since its construction, it can also depreciate. As your accountant won’t be able to prepare a property tax depreciation schedule, you can hire a quantity surveyor.  You should use the services of an expert quantity surveyor as he can spot all depreciation available on the property.

4. Travel:

At times some traveling undertaken for the purchase, maintenance or inspection of your investment will be eligible for a claim. You can claim by cents per kilometre for traveling undertaken to these experts or even to your own property. If you failed to claim them in the past, you will be allowed to put an earlier date. In case some confusion prevails, you can speak to an expert tax accountant.

Conclusion:

It will turn out to be profitable for you to improve your awareness of common tax deductions. Several studies claim that younger people tend to remain unaware of the various tax deductions. Few people are aware that interest repayments are eligible for tax deductions. Some experts say that the higher prices of houses may have caused people to get less occupied in research investing. However, you should not forget to claim your tax depreciation and in case you find the calculations tricky, you may seek experts’ services.

Can Depreciation on My Rental Property Be Back-Claimed?

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Several property investors are not fully aware of the tax benefits they can claim from their rental property. As per ATO rules, a certified quantity surveyor can help such investors reduce their tax burden. This is on account of the depreciation on their property every year. A quantity surveyor can help them make a detailed tax depreciation schedule for rental property. This would then help reduce their taxable income. As a result, the annual tax also gets reduced. Were you aware of this? If so, then you must be claiming the due depreciation tax benefit every year. But things not stopped here. Let’s say you missed claiming the depreciation on your rental property in some previous year. You might have given up that tax deduction as lost forever. But that is not correct. You can also back-claim your depreciation benefits on rental property. Read all about it here.

How Many Years Are Back-Claims Permitted?

This would have been the first question in your mind by now. The ATO has different sets of rules for different categories of taxpayers. If you are an individual taxpayer or the owner of a small business, then you can back-claim missed returns of the last two years. For other categories of taxpayers, this period is four years. For all these periods, the date of calculation is important. ATO guidelines state that the date of notice for tax assessment is the date from when the period is considered. In case you haven’t got any notice, then the date you filed your incomplete return is considered. Also, for the same period, you can submit more than one request for amendment.

The Process for Back-Claim of Previous Years

The process begins with a simple request for amendment made to the ATO, which is free of cost. After that, you need to wait for the ATO to send you the notice for submitting the amended return. While you wait, you should get your amended rental property depreciation report readied. The ATO website does provide all details for you to do it. But you should get this done by a certified quantity surveyor or at least consult your tax accountant. That way the chances of errors are minimised.

A Review of the Entire Process

Now that you know that a couple of years of delay can be corrected, you need to understand the complete picture. ATO rules allow you to claim tax relief on account of depreciation. Depreciation is the annual reduction that your rental property suffers. This is a normal accounting principle. You can claim depreciation for both fixed assets and other fixtures and fittings.

Conclusion:

You may have submitted incomplete rental home returns in previous years. It could be simply because you didn’t know about it or you might have missed it. All it means is that you paid a slightly higher tax that year. But that mistake can be easily corrected. You can back-claim for two to four years, depending on what type of taxpayer you are. Get in touch to learn more and speak to one of our professional team members for more insight.

10 Commonly Overlooked ATO Tax Deductions

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Taxes are especially painful to small and medium sized enterprise owners. Neither do they have the scale of a large company nor the agility of a startup. But the tax rules are equally applicable to such business owners. This is the reason such business owners often fret about their tax burden. If you are one such person, you should be happy to know that we have good news for you. There are several legal tax deductions that are allowed by the Australian Tax Office.

List of the Commonly Overlooked ATO Tax Deductions

Here is a quick list of Australian tax depreciation and other allowed deductions:

  1. Any new or second hand assets purchased for your business can help reduce your taxable amount by as much as $20,000 AUD. This is different from the fixed assets listed on your property depreciation tax deduction.
  2. Any Union fees paid can be reduced from taxable income under the D5 clause.
  3. All donations of $2 AUD or higher are actually eligible for exemptions. The conditions are that these contributions are made to charitable organisations.
  4. If you operate your business from home, it can provide some relief as well. Remember that this is different from the tax relief your home can provide in your tax depreciation schedule. Here we are talking of the occupancy cost that you incur for running your business from your home. Your expenses on printers, computers, and even licensed software could be claimed under this head. The only condition is that they have been used solely for your business.
  5. In case you are paying any insurance premium, there might be good news for you. This depends on the kind of insurance taken. It should be a policy to prevent loss of business income. Other regular insurance policy premiums cannot be claimed, though.
  6. If you are educating yourself or upgrading your knowledge, the expenses are protected under the ATO rules. This would include expenses like textbooks, professional journals, related travel etc., just to name a few.
  7. This is a good one. If your work is mostly outdoors, and you spend a lot of time in the sun, then there is something for you as well. All expenses on sunglasses and sun shades are considered as expenses made for the protection of your eyes, and can be claimed.
  8. As a business owner, connectivity costs are very vital but sometimes can be quite steep. No business owner can survive without spending money on internet connection at all times, or on mobile phone expenses. The good news is that these too can be claimed.
  9. Say you have employed a tax consulting agency to help you prepare your investment property depreciation schedule ATO. The expenses on fees etc. can also be duly claimed as legitimate business expense.
  10. We’ve left the scary one for last – no business is ever insulated from the bad times. In case your business suffers financial losses in any year, the tax rules also allow you to claim relief on those losses. That’s what they call a silver lining for a dark cloud.

What You Should Know about Property Depreciation

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Most of us begin our real estate affairs without any knowledge of property depreciation. However, knowledge about the term may prove advantageous in the long run, particularly if you have owned a property for a long period of time. In short, investment property depreciation can decrease taxes that you may have to pay as tax time arrives. You can also claim depreciation tax on various other things as well which may include the vehicle that you have been using for generating income. Similarly, you can also seek benefit from real estate property tax depreciation. Your sound knowledge on depreciation for tax purposes will prove beneficial for you.

Here are some important things you should know about property depreciation:

1. Is your property too old for claiming depreciation?

If your residential property was constructed after July 1985, you can still claim building allowance as well as plant and equipment. However, if construction began before the aforementioned date, you will only be able to claim depreciation on plant and equipment.

2. Should your accountant prepare this report?

In case your residential property was constructed after 1985, your accountant will not be allowed to assess construction costs. Neither the real estate agents nor the solicitors can estimate the construction cost. You should be aware of the important details of the tax depreciation report and tax ruling 97/25 issued by ATO.

3. How can you claim depreciation for your property?

It is essential to obtain a property depreciation report. A qualified quantity surveyor will help you secure that report. The surveyor is an expert in estimating the cost of any property. They are qualified enough to prepare a depreciation report even if construction costs are not known.

4. Will you require scrutinizing your property?

It is essential to obtain site inspections which satisfy ATO requirements. The expert quantity surveyor will make sure that all of the depreciable objects are calculated along with their images. It will ensure that you do not skip any deductions. In the scenario of an audit, the documentation will prove useful and can be used as evidence. Quantity surveyors communicate directly with the property manager or tenant so that least interruption is caused to the tenant. They have expertise in preparing tax depreciation schedules and other essential reports to keep you at ease.

5. Will you be able to claim depreciation if the property is renovated?

Yes, however, you must know exactly how much you spent on renovations. In case the earlier owner carried out the renovations, you can still claim depreciation. If the cost of renovation is not known, the expert quantity surveyor will make the estimate.

Final Thoughts:

You can find some of the best-qualified quantity surveyors in Australia at Deppro. They will offer their services at cost effective prices and will not create a hole in your pocket. You can also find a Deppro contact number online. Get in Touch with the depreciation specialists today.

Best Reasons to Invest in Commercial Property

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Most people dream of owning their own home. Those who can cross that first hurdle, often go on to their second or third home. Obviously, they do not plan to stay in all of them by turns. The subsequent purchases are for investment purposes only. They give the owner the option of renting or selling it outright for a profit. Additionally, whether you rent or sell, it also gives an option of claiming depreciation on property. There is another option that is popular with investors – commercial property. In this post, we are going to try to help you understand the implications of commercial property investment.

Tax Benefits

The first thing any investor looks at is whether a particular investment brings any relief from tax. A commercial investment property offers tax deductions in two ways. The first is on the capital works expenses made on immovable parts of the property. The second is the depreciation due to plant and equipment. This refers to additional fixtures and fittings that you have spent money on. If you can prepare an accurate and detailed depreciation schedule with the help of a professional, you can indeed save a lot of tax.

Robust Yields

The primary reason for any investment is to sell at a price higher than the purchase price. The property tax depreciation mentioned above is only a bonus. But it is not the most important benefit of investing in a commercial property. The most important benefit is the better returns it usually provides on resale. This is especially when you compare with the average returns of investing on a residential property. This is the primary reason why discerning real estate investors always prefer to deal in commercial properties.

Low Initial Investment

We know that the rental income from a commercial property would be much higher than a residential property. In spite of this, the initial cost of a commercial property is much less. This allows you to begin investing without a very large corpus.

Conclusion:

The purpose of this Deppro review is not to compare the relative merits of investing in a commercial property vs. residential property. We only seek to highlight some of the best reasons to invest in commercial property because many of them are less known to investors. If you are an investor, then you must surely keep commercial properties as part of your portfolio.

How to Claim Depreciation on Previous Owners’ Renovations

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Many investors know that they are eligible to claim depreciation of building works they have carried out to a property. However, some don’t know that they can also claim depreciation of renovations done by former owners of the property. The claimable depreciation will depend on the property purchase date and extent of renovation took place. To claim depreciation, you need to consider a few factors like ATO depreciation rates, 2017 budget, etc. The 2017 budget is important as your claims depend on whether you purchased the property before or after the budget.

What if You Have Purchased a Property Before 2017 Budget?

Things won’t be complicated if you happened to purchase the property before the 2017 crucial budget. In such a scenario, you are eligible to make claims under Division 43 and Division 40 of the Income Tax Assessment Act. Division 43 covers the capital works undertaken by the former owner to the concerned property. It may also include all the renovation works such as a bathroom, kitchen restoration, building extensions, etc. It will also include any work carried out for building structure improvement. In other words, you can claim renovation work on the roof or walls done by the previous owner. You can also consult property depreciation consultants to make the process easier.

What if You Have Purchased a Property After 2017 Budget?

In this scenario, you are likely to face some complications. You will have to check the amount of renovation that took place or whether the previous owner did any renovation. Budget 2017 introduced the term “new residential premises”. You will get more details of the new residential premises in Goods and Services Tax or GST Act.

Importance of GST

You will come across the term “new residential premises” under section 40 to 75 of the GST Act. It means that the premises which have not been sold or rented out as a residential property prior to your purchase won’t cause any problems as the term covers new properties.

The Act further elaborates such premises as those that underwent “substantial renovation”. Such renovations mean removal or replacement of the entire building. And, installation of a new bathroom or kitchen won’t get inclusion under the substantial renovation.

How It Will Impact You?

If your investment property does not come into the category of substantial renovations, you can’t claim Division 40 depreciation. A new tool on its own is not sufficient to form a substantial renovation.

If the building underwent sufficient renovation to fall in the category of “new residential premises”, you can claim for Division 43 and Divison 40 work. In such a situation, a quantity surveyor will check the amount of renovation work done on the building. They will create a timeline of the building and create a house depreciation report. The report will cover the renovation work, cost, and extent of the renovation. You can use the report to check if your building comes in the category of “new residential premises” or not.

Conclusion:

It’s important for you to find out the exact date of your property construction. This will help you find out what earlier renovations you can claim depreciation. You can also seek the help of a quantity surveyor to develop a detailed report of property depreciation tax deduction

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.

Depreciation Schedules – By Independent Property Inspectors

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Depreciation refers to the decline in value of a commodity or an asset. In terms of tax depreciation schedules, the term corresponds to a tax deduction or compensation for wear and tear caused to a piece of property. Rented houses, that constitute the property of taxpayers, have a tendency of suffering damages in the course of time and thus the term depreciation comes into action.

Depending on the value of a property, the property depreciation schedule of a piece of property can amount to a significant amount of money for a property owner. Whether a property is new or old, the compensation for its renovation does amount to a certain value. Keeping this in mind, a property owner must try their best to do everything to lay a claim on the tax deduction of mending or renovation.

How Does a Tax Depreciation Schedule Benefit a Property Owner?

A tax depreciation schedule is prepared by a quantity surveyor and it consists of all the components that are eligible for depreciation. The amount of money you invest for the improvement of property comes under tax exemption. That is to say, you will not be taxed for the amount of money that you invest in enhancing its value.

An important thing to bear in mind is that it is easier said than done to meet the requirements of ATO. Hiring a qualified quantifier surveyor is a good idea to make the most of an investment property depreciation schedule ATO. Though you can consider approaching an accountant, a quantity surveyor would be able to provide you with an accurate calculation.

What Amount of Depreciation Can You Expect From Your Property?

ATO tax depreciation schedule is more complicated than what it looks like on the surface. One needs to get to the bottom of the facts in order to gain a proper understanding of the value of tax depreciation for a piece of property.

An important thing to remember is that the value of depreciation depends on the age of a property. Thus, it can vary from one property to the other. Further, your property will be eligible for recovery of compensation only if you have built it after 1985.

Tax depreciation in connection with a property does not cover the land on which it stands. Even if your property was built before 1985, you can receive depreciation on all Plant and Articles.

Final Thoughts:

It is important to conduct the depreciation of a property due to a variety of reasons. Firstly, it necessitates a property owner to carry out a thorough inspection of their property. This can help an owner identify all the existing problems in their asset.

Further, it also encourages an owner to promote the value of a property with the assurance that the costs for improvement will not come under the slab of taxation. A piece of property which undergoes maintenance and improvement from time to time remains in proper shape for long-term use.