Accountant for Landlords and Rental Property Owners
Tax planning, bookkeeping, Schedule E reporting, depreciation support, and year-round accounting for rental-property owners nationwide.
A guide by Taxstra Tax & Accounting — CPA-led tax strategy for business owners
•1,000+ Clients Nationwide•Real Estate | Physicians | High-IncomeWritten by Bryan Martin, CPA, Managing Partner and Founder of Taxstra. Last updated July 9, 2026.
Quick answer
Taxstra provides tax planning and accounting services for landlords and rental-property owners. We help clients maintain accurate property-level books, report rental activity, calculate depreciation and identify planning opportunities as their portfolios grow. Our work is designed for investors who want proactive guidance, not merely preparation of a Schedule E after the year has ended.
Accounting Services for Landlords
Property-level books, tax reporting, and proactive planning
Most landlords start with a spreadsheet or a shoebox of receipts. It works for one property. It creates a nightmare for three.
Without professional bookkeeping, you are likely making three expensive mistakes:
| Item | DIY Spreadsheet | Taxstra Bookkeeping |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation tracking | Manual, error-prone | Automated per-asset schedule |
| Repair vs. improvement | Guesswork at year-end | Real-time classification |
| Per-property P&L | Aggregate only | Unit-level monthly reports |
| REPS hour documentation | Not tracked | Integrated time log support |
| Schedule E prep | April scramble | Done throughout the year |
| Cost seg integration | Not possible | Basis adjustments tracked monthly |
What Is Included
Built for real estate investors, not generic small businesses
We don't just "do books." Each landlord engagement includes:
Property-Level Accounting
We track income and expenses per property. You know exactly which units are performing and which are draining cash—essential for Schedule E filing and portfolio decisions.
Depreciation Tracking
We maintain detailed fixed asset schedules: basis, accumulated depreciation, and potential recapture. Critical for Cost Segregation planning and accurate exit modeling.
Improvement vs. Repair Classification
We classify expenses in real time under the Tangible Property Regulations (TPR) to maximize immediate deductions. Don't capitalize what you can expense.
1099 Contractor Payments
Organized tracking of vendor payments so you have documentation ready for year-end 1099-NEC filings. Missing a 1099 can result in disallowed deductions.
Mortgage Interest & Property Tax
Allocated by property and documented for Schedule E. We integrate bank and loan statements automatically so nothing is missed — including the interest tracing records you need if you're using a HELOC against your rental's equity.
Security Deposits & Tenant Ledgers
Proper handling of tenant deposits—these are not rental income and must be tracked separately to avoid overstatement on your return.
REPS Hour Documentation Support
If you are pursuing Real Estate Professional Status, we help you structure and document your time log so your hours are defensible in an audit.
Depreciation and Cost Segregation
Clean books are the foundation of every major deduction
Good bookkeeping is not just compliance—it is the infrastructure that makes your tax strategies work. Without it, you cannot claim the deductions you deserve.
REPS Tracking
To qualify for Real Estate Professional Status, you must log 750+ hours. The first thing the IRS requests in an audit is your time log. We help you track this from day one.
Passive Loss Unlocking
Suspended losses are an asset. We track your passive loss carryovers year over year so they are ready to offset gains when you eventually sell.
Short-Term Rental Loophole
Operating an STR? The depreciation rules are different. Your bookkeeping must prove average stays of 7 days or less to qualify for the STR Loophole.
1031 Exchange Preparedness
When you sell, you have 45 days to identify a replacement. You cannot waste 30 of them cleaning up your books. We keep you "transaction ready" at all times.
Landlord Bookkeeping and Property-Level Reporting
Whether you manage 2 units or 200, we integrate with your workflow
We meet investors where they are. If you are on Excel, we build you a proper QBO setup. If you already use AppFolio or Buildium, we work with your exports. The goal is always the same: tax-ready books, every month.
Platforms We Work With
The Annual Workflow
Who We Work With
Schedule E and Rental Property Tax Reporting
We reconcile property-level income and expenses, fixed assets, debt interest, and supporting records before preparing rental reporting. See the Schedule E guide for the records and categories owners should review.
Passive Losses and Real Estate Professional Status
We evaluate participation, basis, at-risk limitations, suspended losses, and the household's broader tax picture before recommending a rental-loss strategy. Qualification is fact-specific; review the REPS requirements before relying on a current deduction.
Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals require careful review of stay patterns, services, participation, depreciation, and records. Our short-term rental tax strategy guide explains why ownership alone does not determine the result.
Entity and Partnership Considerations
Entity choice affects bookkeeping, return preparation, ownership reporting, financing, and the tax treatment of future transfers. We coordinate direct ownership and partnership-return issues with the rest of the household tax plan rather than treating the entity as a stand-alone decision.
How Our Process Works
- 1Portfolio and tax-history review
- 2Books, entities and reporting assessment
- 3Tax-planning recommendations
- 4Ongoing implementation and year-end reporting
What We Need From You
- Prior tax returns and depreciation schedules
- Property closing statements
- Bank, loan, and credit-card access or statements
- Leases and property-manager reports
- Entity and partnership documents
- Current bookkeeping file and chart of accounts
Rental property resources
Schedule E explained
Income, expenses, depreciation, and recordkeeping.
Short-term rental strategy
Stay patterns, participation, and documentation.
Cost segregation guide
How a study interacts with the depreciation schedule.
Real estate professional status
Qualification and participation requirements.
HELOC on rental property
Interest tracing and recordkeeping considerations.
Rental bookkeeping
Build property-level books that are ready for tax planning.
Planning the year? Review the tax due-date calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from landlords and rental property investors
This content is educational and does not constitute individualized tax advice. Tax rules vary by situation and may change. Consult a qualified CPA before making tax decisions.
Speak With an Accountant for Landlords
Your rental portfolio should have an accounting system built for more than tax preparation. Schedule a consultation to discuss your properties, existing records and tax-planning opportunities.
Find Out What You're Overpaying in Taxes
Book a free 30-minute call to walk through your situation. We'll tell you exactly how our CPA-led team can help — and whether we're the right fit.