Tag: landlord accounting

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Landlord Taxes

Paying the Rental Property Tax Bill

Landlords use RentalIncomeExpense.com to record expenses like the infamous tax bill.

As a landlord, managing your rental properties efficiently and keeping finances in order are crucial for a successful and stress-free business. One financial responsibility landlords must address is the payment of their rental property tax bill. While this may seem like another item to do, there are tools that make this process smoother and more organized. We will explore the importance of paying your rental property tax bill on time and how using an income and expense tracking tool like RentalIncomeExpense.com can help simplify the process.

Importance of Paying Your Rental Property Tax Bill

Paying your rental property tax bill is a non-negotiable aspect of being a landlord. Failure to do so can result in penalties, fines, and even legal issues. To avoid these consequences, it’s essential to ensure your taxes are paid on time. Here’s why it’s crucial:

  1. Legal Compliance: Paying your taxes is not just a financial responsibility but also a legal one. Failure to meet your tax obligations can lead to legal troubles that can be costly and time-consuming.
  2. Financial Planning: Paying your taxes on time helps you budget effectively and maintain a clear financial picture of your rental property business.

RentalIncomeExpense.com is Free

To streamline the process of paying your rental property tax bill and keeping track of your property-related finances, consider using a free and dedicated income and expense tracking tool like RentalIncomeExpense.com. Here’s how it can help:

  1. Income and Expense Tracking: RentalIncomeExpense.com allows you to track your rental property income and expenses. Its reports like the profit and loss statement help you see if you are profitable or not.
  2. Organized Records: With a user-friendly interface, this free tool helps you maintain organized records of all your financial transactions related to your rental properties.
  3. Tax Deduction Management: RentalIncomeExpense.com can help you identify potential tax deductions related to your rental property business, which can ultimately reduce your tax liability. Its Schedule E Helper Report mimics Schedule E of your Form 1040 making tax preparation for you (or your accountant) easier.

Paying your rental property tax bill and managing your property finances are paramount for a successful and stress-free landlord experience. Utilizing tools like RentalIncomeExpense.com can simplify the process and help you stay on top of your financial responsibilities. It also helps with understanding how you may need to adjust rents given your expenses. With the right tools, you can focus on growing your rental property business while maintaining your financial house in order.

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Landlord Tips

Tips to Prepare for a Rental Property Showing

Cleaning and decorating can prepare for a rental property showing.

Landlords need to invest time and money to prepare for a rental property showing. Filling vacancies quickly affect the bottom line. The longer the unit stays empty, the less rent revenue the landlord enjoys. Here are some quick and easy things landlords can do to prepare for a rental property showing.

Clean Inside

The most ideal tenant will leave the rental property in the same pristine condition as when they moved in. Unfortunately, this is not reality. Standard wear and tear require landlords to clean the inside of the property. Investing in a cleaning service will save landlords time with this chore. Once the unit is cleaned, landlords can address maintenance issues.

Renovate/Fix

With a clean unit, landlords can focus on areas of renovations or improvements. For example, replacing flooring or appliances, repairing plumbing, or painting walls will freshen up the look and feel of the property. Similar to a cleaning service, landlords can schedule painters, electricians, and plumbers to address areas of concern.

Clean Outside

First impressions can be a deal breaker. If a prospective tenant cannot get past the exterior of the rental property, then the landlord loses a potential tenant. Landlords can hire lawn maintenance services to ensure the exterior of the property is in pristine condition. Cutting the grass, trimming trees, and power washing the building are simple steps that can create a clean and positive impression.

Stage to Prepare for a Rental Property Showing

For many, it is much easier to visualize a room when it is furnished. Landlords can help tenants make a decision by staging the property. In these cases, landlords can hire companies that take care of decorating the property so tenants can get a feel of how it would be to live in.

Conclusions

Landlords should keep track of the expenses involved when they prepare for a rental property showing. Using landlord accounting software like RentalIncomeExpense.com make it easier to track many of these expenses that can be deducted at tax time.

Categories
General

Landlord Accounting Profit and Loss Statement

The profit and loss statement shows if a landlord is making money . . . or not.

Landlord accounting is essentially bookkeeping for rental property. Tracking income and expenses is important for tax purposes and overall good business practice. The data from tracking what the rental property brings in versus what it spends to operate can be used to create helpful reports. One report in particular, the profit and loss statement, can gauge the health of the business and assist at tax time.

The profit and loss statement is a report that summarizes revenues received and expenses incurred with managing rental property. It is also known in shorthand as the P&L. It reveals how well or poorly the business is doing by its net income or loss. With this report, landlords can identify areas to reduce expenses or make improvements to strengthen the business.

Landlord accounting software makes it easy to generate a profit and loss statement. Since landlords need to record income and expenses, it’s nice to benefit from this task with helpful reports like the P&L. If landlords track income and expenses by hand or with a spreadsheet, these methods generally do not generate a profit and loss statement. Consider RentalIncomeExpense.com for landlord accounting. It’s free, easy to use, and generates reports including a profit and loss statement.

Categories
General

Free Rental Property Expense Tracker for Landlords

Recording income and expenses is important when managing rental property.

Managing rental properties can be rewarding and challenging. As a business owner, it is good practice to stay on top of your expenses and maintain accurate financial records. An expense tracking system helps ensure you maximize profits and make informed decisions. Fortunately, there are many tools available to simplify this process. One such tool is a free rental property expense tracker.

Landlord Benefits

  1. Organize and record income and expenses: Keeping track of rental property finances can be time-consuming. A rental property expense tracker can help automate the process, allowing you to more easily organize and categorize expenses. By recording expenses into predefined categories such as maintenance, repairs, utilities, and more, you gain a clear understanding of where your money is going. This organized approach not only saves time but also helps you analyze your spending patterns and identify areas for potential cost-cutting.
  2. Generate financial reports: As a property owner, it is helpful to have a comprehensive overview of your rental property’s financial performance. Good landlord accounting software offers built-in reporting features that provide valuable insights into your income and expenses. For example, a free rental property expense tracker designed just for landlords is RentalIncomeExpense.com. It provides reports such as profit and loss statements and a Schedule E helper report to assist at tax time. Reports empower you to make informed decisions, and they can simplify tax preparation by providing accurate records of deductible expenses. There are some free spreadsheets for landlords, but they may not provide any reporting.
  3. Simplify tax season: Tax season can be overwhelming for property owners, but a rental property expense tracker can simplify the process. By maintaining well-organized financial records throughout the year, you’ll have all the information you need to prepare your tax returns efficiently.

Using a free rental property expense tracker helps landlords from categorizing expenses to generating financial reports and simplifying tax season. These benefits can save time, reduce stress, and maximize profits.

Categories
Landlord Tips

Top Ways to Advertise an Apartment for Rent

Landlords have different ways to advertise an apartment for rent.

When it comes to advertising an apartment for rent, reaching a wide audience and showcasing the property’s unique features are essential. Equally important is understanding how your future tenants seek information. Here are three effective ways to advertise an apartment for rent:

Online Listing Platforms

In today’s digital age, online listing platforms are the go-to method for advertising rental properties. Especially for a younger or tech-savvy tenant, landlords should advertise on popular real estate websites such as Zillow or Apartments.com and create a compelling listing. High-quality photos of the apartment, detailed descriptions highlighting its features and amenities, rental terms, and contact information are important pieces of information to include in the listing.

Some allow you to include virtual tours using 360-degree photos or videos. This allows potential tenants to explore the space remotely and get a comprehensive view of the property’s layout and features. Virtual tours are especially valuable for attracting out-of-town or busy individuals who may not have the opportunity to visit the apartment in person.

Social Media Marketing

Harness the power of social media to promote your apartment for rent. Create visually appealing posts featuring photos or videos of the property and share them across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Utilize relevant hashtags, such as #ApartmentForRent or #CityNameRentals, to increase visibility. Consider running targeted ads on social media platforms to reach a specific demographic or geographic audience as a way to advertise an apartment for rent.

Local Advertising

While online platforms are crucial, don’t underestimate the power of local advertising methods to attract potential renters in your area. If you have an older or less tech-savvy tenant audience, eye-catching “For Rent” signs with clear contact information placed outside the property can be effective. Utilize local newspapers, community bulletin boards, and neighborhood newsletters to advertise an apartment for rent. Additionally, reach out to local real estate agencies or relocation services to see if they can assist in promoting the vacancy to their networks.

As landlords, advertising an apartment for rent involves cost. Keep track of advertising expenses as you normally do whether it be using an Excel spreadsheet or free landlord accounting software like RentalIncomeExpense.com.

Categories
Landlord Tips

Winter Maintenance Tips for Landlords

Winter Maintenance Tips
Winter is a time of year when we need to be extra vigilant about rental property maintenance.

Landlording is a year round business. In other words, it is not a seasonal business. Winter is a time of year when we need to be extra vigilant about the maintenance of our homes. The winter months bring changes in weather and drops in temperature. Here are some simple winter maintenance tips for landlords to prepare.

Keep Tools at the Ready

In order to keep your property in top shape during the winter, you should make sure that you have all the necessary equipment at hand. In snow-prone areas, snow blowers and shovels are essential. For snow blowers, make sure the machines are primed and filled with gas and oil. Clean the machines in the fall so they are ready to use immediately in the winter.

Prep the Yard & House

Winter is a good time to trim bushes and cut back trees. Bad snow storms can knock down trees. You don’t want trees to fall on your property and cause damage. While you’re taking care of the landscaping, it’s a good time to also clean the gutters and check the chimney. Debris and water in gutters can cause more harm as temperatures drop. And having a clean chimney can prevent potential fire hazards as your tenant may want to keep warm by the fireplace. Changing filters regularly is among the winter maintenance tips for landlords. Additionally, you should check pipes and drains to make sure they are not frozen and try to avoid any possible water leaks by keeping gutters clear.

These winter maintenance tips for landlords will incur some form of cost. Fortunately, it is easy for landlords to track them in landlord software. By tracking expenses, landlords can run reports that may help make budgeting easier for future years. RentalIncomeExpense.com follows the Form 1040 Schedule E expense categories.

Categories
Landlord Tips

How to Advertise a Home for Rent

Advertise Home for Rent
Landlords can advertise a home for rent online to maximize number of applicants.

When a vacancy becomes available, landlords need to know how to advertise a home for rent. Landlording is a business. And rental income happens with a paying tenant. So the sooner a landlord can fill a vacancy, the sooner the landlord will generate income. It can be a daunting task, however, to navigate the rental market and successfully advertise a home for rent. The following tips can help make the process easier and draw in more potential applicants.

First, it is important to ensure the home is in good condition. Investing in basic repairs and upgrades to the interior and exterior of the property can go a long way in attracting tenants. Such activities include painting, landscaping, and even just a good cleaning.

Next, create an eye-catching advertisement. Provide a detailed description of the home, benefits of living in the area, and your contact information. You can describe your rental home’s proximity to public transportation, schools, and nearby shopping centers to draw attention. Pictures of the interior and exterior of the home as well as of the neighborhood round out your written description. Consider staging the home with furniture and decorations to make it look more appealing to potential applicants.

Lastly, post the ad on multiple platforms, such as social media and online listings like Hotpads or Zillow. Another important step is to ensure that the home is priced correctly. Doing research into the current rental market and local rental rates can help determine the best rent for the property.

And remember, keep track of the expenses you incur when you advertise a home for rent with your landlord accounting software, like RentalIncomeExpense.com. That way, when tax time arrives, it will be easy to prepare your returns.

Categories
Landlord Tips

Organizational Tips for Landlords

Organizational Tips for Landlords
Well organized records can make life easier for landlords.

Good organization is important when running a business. Landlording is no exception. Yes, it take time and effort, but having well organized records can make your life easier. Here are a few organizational tips for landlords to implement when managing their rental property.

Create a Filing System

One aspect of being organized is the ability to find things quickly and easily. With landlording, there can be a lot of documents. Documents include applications, leases, maintenance request, and communication between landlord and tenant. Going paperless is ideal, however, it may be inevitable to have some paper. So first, have a physical or digital filing system in place that is easily accessible and understandable to those who need to know. In a digital world, you would simply save files to the appropriate folder on your device, such as a laptop. If you have to deal with paper, it is good to invest in a scanner. That way, you can scan paper and then save the digital copy.

Track Income & Expenses

Another among the organizational tips for landlords is tracking income and expenses. This task is critical for two reasons. First, it enables landlords to know if their business is profitable or not. Second, it makes tax time easier. Landlords may not want to spend a lot of money on expensive or complicated accounting software. That’s OK. Because there are tools designed just for landlords that help track income and expenses and provide reports. For example, RentalIncomeExpense.com is a free tool created just for landlords. Plus it provides reports, like a Schedule E Helper report, that can assist at tax time.

Categories
Landlord Tips

Landlords Can Make Tenant Lives Easier

RIE Tenant Easy
Landlords can make tenant lives easier in just a few simple ways.

Much has been written on ways to help landlords succeed. This blog post is not wholly different other than taking the view of how to help tenants. Happy tenants can make landlord lives easier. If there are ways landlords can make tenant lives easier, then it is a win win for both landlord and tenant. Here are a few easy things landlords can do for tenants.

Ways landlords can make tenant lives easier

Many tenants today consider the use of technology essential to daily living. One of the basic applications of technology is communication. Many tenants have smartphones, which allow them to be accessible anywhere. Landlords who communicate via text or email make tenant life easier. Talking on the phone, mailing letters, and meeting in person are time consuming, slow, and unappealing.

Smartphones are powerful tools. Beyond the immediate use of communication via text, phone, email, or information gathering from the Web, smartphones can be the key to your rental property. Literally. Landlords can install keyless locks on their rental property. With keyless locks, tenants do not have to keep track of a key. Depending on the type of lock, tenants can use a code or their smartphone to open and lock doors.

Something as simple as providing in unit clothing washers and dryers is a way landlords can make tenant lives easier. Carrying around clothes – dirty or clean – is not fun. Dishwashers are a standard appliance in rental properties. Why can’t washers and dryers be, too?

All of these simple ways landlords can do for tenants makes happier tenants, and they benefit landlords. By tracking these types of expenses, landlords can deduct these costs on their taxes as part of their landlording business. Free landlord accounting software like RentalIncomeExpense.com is an easy way to keep track of such expenses.

Categories
Landlord Taxes

Tax Breaks for Landlords

Tax breaks for landlords
Tax breaks for landlords can help them save money.

Landlords are entrepreneurs trying to find a way to build successful businesses. Collecting rent, managing expenses, and keeping tenants happy are just a few of the many things on the landlords’ “to do” list. Believe it or not, the tax code is one way landlords can follow to try and minimize expenses. We will share a few tax breaks for landlords below. We recommend consulting with a tax professional or CPA to best handle and maximize your tax return potential.

Mortgage Interest

If you have a mortgage on your rental property, you are most likely paying interest on your mortgage payments. Landlords can deduct mortgage interest at tax time, which for many landlords, is their largest deduction.

20% Pass Through Deduction

From 2018 through 2026, the 20% pass through tax deduction allows landlords to be taxed on 80% of rental net income. This deduction is only for pass-through entities where landlords run their rental business as a sole proprietor, LLC, or S corporation.

Maintenance Expenses

Landlords can deduct the expenses related to repairs to rental property. For example, the cost to repaint the house, fix a leaking pipe, or replace a broken toilet are deductible. To make life easier, landlords can use income and expense tracking tools. A free tool designed just for landlords is RentalIncomeExpense.com.

To maximize tax breaks for landlords, please consult a tax professional or CPA.