Florida Rental Income Tax
Rental of Primary Residence
Residential properties are frequently rented out as a source of income for their owners, particularly during the busy and warm summer months when many people are away on vacation. If the taxpayer renting the residence used the property as a dwelling at any point during the year, the taxpayer must follow a different set of tax laws than if they did not. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wants people to be informed on the requirements for reporting revenue from rental properties to save themselves some stress come tax time.
If you own a rental property in Florida, you may be subject to rental income tax. Florida is one of the few states that do not have a state income tax, but rental income is still subject to federal income tax. Additionally, Florida has a sales tax on rental properties, which is currently set at 6%. It’s important to keep accurate records of your rental income and expenses to ensure you are properly reporting and paying any required taxes. You may also want to consult with a tax professional to ensure you are following all applicable laws and regulations.
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Residential rental property
A residential rental property can be anything from a single-family home to a condo, apartment, vacation home, or mobile home, among other real estate types. Taxpayers who rent the property can utilize more than one dwelling as their primary residence at any given time during the year.
During the tax year, a home is deemed a primary residence if it is occupied for more than 14 days or 10% of the total number of days it is rented out at market rate. Use of the property for one’s purposes typically comprises the following activities:
- Any individual who has an ownership interest in the property.
- A family member of any person who has an interest in the home (unless it is the family member’s primary residence and the proprietor gets fair rental value for it).
- Whoever has a contract allows them to utilize another person’s residence without permission.
- Anyone who uses the property for a lower price than the market rental value.
What Are the Types of Rental Income?
Some of the rental incomes include;
- Payments for canceling a lease
- Advance rent payments
- Normal rent payments
- Expenses paid by the tenant
In most cases, taxpayers do not have to include a security deposit in their rental revenue if they intend to return it to their renter after the lease. However, suppose the taxpayer decides to hold any portion or all of the tenant’s security deposit during any given year because the tenant has failed to adhere to the conditions of the lease. In that case, the taxpayer is required to include the amount that has been retained as rental revenue during that year.
What Are the Rental Expenses and Deductions?
Normal and necessary expenses
Taxpayers may deduct the regular and necessary costs associated with their rental property’s management, maintenance, and upkeep. Ordinary company expenses, such as depreciation and operational expenses, are typical and widely recognized. Appropriate expenditures include interest, taxes, advertising, maintenance, utilities, and insurance.
Suppose the taxpayer incorporates tenant-paid expenses, the market rate valuation of the property, or tenant-provided services in their rental income. They can deduct the same proportion as a rental expense in that case.
Deductions
The typical amount of time needed to recoup losses on a residential rental property is 27.5 years. As part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the recovery time for residential rental property under the alternative depreciation scheme was reduced from 40 years to 30 years.
According to the recently passed legislation, a real estate trade or business that chooses to opt out of the interest deduction cap must apply the alternative depreciation scheme to calculate the depreciation due on any of its residential rental properties.
