Are you thinking about investing in property this year? One of the reasons why investing in property helps you to build wealth is that it offers you various tax deductions. But many first time investors are unaware of all the tax deductions that may be available. One of the tax deductions you can claim on your investment property that is frequently overlooked, particularly by first time investors, is depreciation. For this you need to organise a depreciation schedule when you purchase the property, so you can start claiming the tax break as soon as possible. In this article we explain what a depreciation schedule is and how to obtain one. What is depreciation? Depreciation occurs as an item’s worth becomes less over time as it is used and it wears out. When you’re talking about a tax deduction, depreciation is a method of allocating the cost of an item over its useful life. For example, if your property has an oven that is valued at $1,000 and has a ten year life, you can claim $100 against your taxable income for 10 years on that individual item. With an investment property, you are only allowed to claim depreciation on certain items against your taxable income. There are two types of depreciation tax deductions that you can claim: Depreciation on plant & equipment: this refers to items within the building like ovens, hot water heaters, air conditioners, carpets, blinds and so on. Depreciation on buildings or ‘building allowance’: this refers to the construction costs of the building itself, such as concrete and brickwork. What is a depreciation schedule? In order to make a tax claim for depreciation, you need a report that identifies all the things that may be claimed against your tax and the current value of each item. The report must separate all the different items into the two categories mentioned above, and each item depreciates at a different rate. Each property will be different from the next and will contain a wide variety of different items that fall into these categories. The amount of tax benefit you receive will depend entirely on the property you purchase. Many experienced property investors will deliberately choose properties that will give them the most depreciation benefits. When should I get a depreciation schedule? You should create a depreciation schedule as soon as possible after settlement, preferably before tenants move in. This will allow you to maximise your tax benefits and will help you to avoid causing disruption to your tenants. If you didn’t get a depreciation schedule when you first purchased your investment property, you can still get one now and start claiming your deductions moving forward. How do I create a depreciation schedule? When you purchase a property, all the assets within the property are not itemised by value. What’s more, the government will not take your word for the value of the items. That means you can’t create a depreciation schedule yourself. In order to claim any tax deductions, you will need to employ a qualified Quantity Surveyor to do a thorough inspection to identify what can be claimed and to make valuations in order to create a depreciation schedule for you. This is the only way you can legitimately claim tax deductions for depreciation. If you purchase a brand new property, preparing a depreciation schedule is much easier as the value of the items can be easily determined. If you have an older property though, things become more complicated and that’s another reason why it is important to use a reliable professional. A Quantity Surveyor will prepare your depreciation schedule report with a view to maximising your financial position in relation to your property assets. And their fees are fully tax deductible. If you need help locating a professional Quantity Surveyor, then please give us a call and ask us for a referral. This article looked at just one way you could benefit financially from purchasing an investment property, but there are many reasons you may want to invest! If you’re thinking about getting into the investment property market this year, then give us a call. We’re here to help you get your financing in place, but we can also help you put together the team of professionals you need to invest profitably. Now is a good time to get started on your plans for the year, so get in touch