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Sunday, July 14, 2013
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Real Estate Investing and the Capital Gains Tax
In any investment, there are always taxes involved. In real estate investing, one of the most important and unavoidable taxes is the Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Capital gains are a profit that a seller will earn on the sale of a non-inventory asset like that of a real estate which was bought at a much lower priced. The government will tax the investor on their profit so it is best to think of ways to lower the CGT legally.
If this is the first attempt in real estate investing, stop for a bit and remembers that anything done, when it involves money, the IRS is always lurking in the shadows. Evaluate very carefully the choices out there before settling to buy.
First step is to assess the ownership condition of the property. Tax laws will allow that if the property were going to be a primary residence then there is a chance of a tax free capital gain. Another is if there is a child in college who could become a co-owner and who can actually live in the house while going to school for a minimum of two years, then the taxes can also be lowered considerably.
Whenever there is a need for repairs, do not think DIY. Always hire a contractor and make sure that all expenses are carefully recorded. DIY is not tax deductable, however, the materials can be if insistent on this course.
Plan the sale of the property very carefully. It is important to remember and take note that the price of the sale should correspond with the ITR. Often, the capital gains tax will affect the status of the ITR based on a current income. It would be a good move to break down the income in multiple years.
Adjust the sale through cash credit. Often, there are repairs needed before the sale could be made, so if redoing the kitchen is needed to be done to sell, it has to be done. Talk to the buyer if they are willing to take cash credit instead. This will always simplify the tax liability.
There is no way to escape taxes. As the saying goes, “two things are unavoidable: death and taxes.” Thinking of trying to escape will be illegal and when caught, the money cost to clear your name and to pay for the lawyer will be considerable. Analyze the goals and make a decision intelligently.
If this is the first attempt in real estate investing, stop for a bit and remembers that anything done, when it involves money, the IRS is always lurking in the shadows. Evaluate very carefully the choices out there before settling to buy.
First step is to assess the ownership condition of the property. Tax laws will allow that if the property were going to be a primary residence then there is a chance of a tax free capital gain. Another is if there is a child in college who could become a co-owner and who can actually live in the house while going to school for a minimum of two years, then the taxes can also be lowered considerably.
Whenever there is a need for repairs, do not think DIY. Always hire a contractor and make sure that all expenses are carefully recorded. DIY is not tax deductable, however, the materials can be if insistent on this course.
Plan the sale of the property very carefully. It is important to remember and take note that the price of the sale should correspond with the ITR. Often, the capital gains tax will affect the status of the ITR based on a current income. It would be a good move to break down the income in multiple years.
Adjust the sale through cash credit. Often, there are repairs needed before the sale could be made, so if redoing the kitchen is needed to be done to sell, it has to be done. Talk to the buyer if they are willing to take cash credit instead. This will always simplify the tax liability.
There is no way to escape taxes. As the saying goes, “two things are unavoidable: death and taxes.” Thinking of trying to escape will be illegal and when caught, the money cost to clear your name and to pay for the lawyer will be considerable. Analyze the goals and make a decision intelligently.
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