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Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Real estate rentals · Lesson 6
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Real estate rentals · 15 min

Taxes on a rental

A rental's tax return rarely matches its bank account. It can show a loss while cash comes in, or a bigger loss than you really paid. That's depreciation, and it comes back when you sell.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How long does the IRS spread a house?

You buy a house to rent out. The IRS doesn't let you take the building's cost off your rent all at once: you spread it over years, a slice each year. How many years, for a home you rent out?

10 years
1 year50 years
Words to know

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Sources and every number (2)

Sources

  • Publication 527 (2025), Residential Rental Property (including the rental of vacation homes) · Internal Revenue Service, 2025
  • Publication 946 (2025), How To Depreciate Property (recovery periods; residential rental property and dwelling units) · Internal Revenue Service, 2025

Every number

  • 27.5 yearsirs.gov ·2025 · The IRS's recovery period for residential rental property (straight line), Publication 527, 2025.
  • 39 yearsirs.gov ·2025 · The IRS's recovery period for nonresidential real property, such as a store or office building, Publication 946, 2025.
  1. Lessons›
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  3. Real estate rentals
  • ·Before this: Landlord rules: deposits, repairs and eviction
  • ·Free guide: How landlords make money
Skip to the lesson
Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Real estate rentals · Lesson 6
Part 1 of 3Part 1 of 3, 0 done

Real estate rentals · 15 min

Taxes on a rental

A rental's tax return rarely matches its bank account. It can show a loss while cash comes in, or a bigger loss than you really paid. That's depreciation, and it comes back when you sell.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How long does the IRS spread a house?

You buy a house to rent out. The IRS doesn't let you take the building's cost off your rent all at once: you spread it over years, a slice each year. How many years, for a home you rent out?

10 years
1 year50 years
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (2)

Sources

  • Publication 527 (2025), Residential Rental Property (including the rental of vacation homes) · Internal Revenue Service, 2025
  • Publication 946 (2025), How To Depreciate Property (recovery periods; residential rental property and dwelling units) · Internal Revenue Service, 2025

Every number

  • 27.5 yearsirs.gov ·2025 · The IRS's recovery period for residential rental property (straight line), Publication 527, 2025.
  • 39 yearsirs.gov ·2025 · The IRS's recovery period for nonresidential real property, such as a store or office building, Publication 946, 2025.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Industries›
  3. Real estate rentals
  • ·Before this: Landlord rules: deposits, repairs and eviction
  • ·Free guide: How landlords make money