Everything You Need to Know About Tax Depreciation

Posted on: 24 February 2020

One of the essential things you need to understand if you own a building or several is tax depreciation. Just like appliances or other commodities, every building usually declines in value due to unavoidable tear and wear. The value decline is what experts call property depreciation, which is a loss on your part as the owner.

Luckily, depreciation is a vital part of a tax return that's linked with income-generating properties. The objective of property tax depreciation services is to make sure owners get more returns from their properties. So when you seek this service, you will gain this lost money back during tax time. Remember that property depreciation isn't deducted once from the taxable income. The deductions are made each year after construction and can last up to four decades, depending on the time the building was erected.

For this reason, it's beneficial for every property owner to know more about tax depreciation. This post will be offering key details you should know.

Who is entitled to tax depreciation?

Any legal owner of a property can claim tax depreciation, even if the building is jointly owned. But if the property has joint owners, the claim deductions are subdivided as per the asset shares.

Will your investment property depreciate?

The truth is that all investment buildings do depreciate. Hiring a quantity surveyor can help you gain from property depreciation in various ways:

Old buildings – The expert examines the historical data as well as the costing system to come up with the construction expenses. Then, they'll assess the original value of the building using the current market data. Old buildings experience substantial tax depreciation.

New buildings –Like the old buildings, the quantity surveyor will estimate the costs of building the structure and assess the equipment. Usually, new buildings experience massive depreciation during the first decade, so you can gain from this when the necessary measures are taken.

Renovated buildings – If the building you bought was recently renovated or extended by you or the previous owner, you can claim the costs as a deduction. The experts can also offer pre-renovation surveys to know the residual value.

Who will prepare the property tax depreciation?

According to the law, tax depreciation schedules should be prepared by a reputable quantity surveyor. Their job is to minimise your taxable income by offering an all-inclusive depreciation schedule. They will use their professional knowledge to ensure you get unrealised tax deductions. The tax deduction calculation is usually done after your old, new or renovated building is inspected. A suitable depreciation schedule will also be drafted.

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