Happy Tax Day (sarcasm)

Capital Gains On Investment Real Estate

Investors who own real estate are often allowed to apply deductions to their total taxable income based on the depreciation of their real estate investments. This deduction is meant to reflect the steady deterioration of the property as it ages, and essentially reduces the amount you’re considered to have paid for the property in the first place. This also has the effect of increasing your taxable capital gain when the property is sold.

For example, if you paid $200,000 for a building and you’re allowed to claim $5,000 in depreciation, you’ll be treated subsequently as if you’d paid $195,000 for the building. If you then sell the real estate, the $5,000 is treated as recapturing those depreciation deductions. The tax rate that applies to the recaptured amount is 25%.

So if you sold the building for $210,000, there would be total capital gains of $15,000. But $5,000 of that figure would be treated as a recapture of the deduction from income. That recaptured amount is taxed at 25%, where the remaining $10,000 of capital gain would be taxed at one of the 0%, 15%, or 20% rates indicated above.

Investment Exceptions

High-income earners may be subject to another tax on their capital gains, called the net investment income tax. This tax imposes an additional 3.8% on your investment income, including your capital gains if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds certain maximums: $250,000 if married and filing jointly or you’re a surviving spouse, $200,000 if you’re single or a head of household, and $125,000 if married filing separately.

****** I strongly recommend that you consult with a licensed Real Estate Professional (Realtor), or Accountant/CPA before attempting to execute this strategy ******

Thank you and have a great day.

Roland Kier
CEO – America’s Best Smart Realty
Principal Broker – Georgia/Florida/Alabama Markets
Member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors
roland_kier@americasbestsmartrealty.com