Montana's Homestead Property Tax Phase-In: Why Your Business Could Pay More in 2026
Montana's 2026 commercial rate drops to 1.50% below $2.27M, yet floating mills can still raise your bill — verify homestead and rental enrollment first.
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Real Estate
Real estate accounting, property tracking, and investment management
Pet Deposits vs. Pet Rent vs. Pet Fees: What You Can Actually Charge
Pet deposits are refundable and often capped; pet fees and pet rent are Schedule E income when received — IRS Pub 527 rules, state caps, and how to book each.
Your Assessment Is Too High: How to Protest Your Commercial Property Valuation (and Win)
Most over-assessed owners who show up with evidence win a reduction: bring 3–5 comparable sales, your rent roll, and file before the Texas May 15 deadline.
Form 1098 for Rental Property Owners: Getting Every Box Onto the Right Schedule E Line
Form 1098 Box 1 goes to Schedule E line 12 and Box 5 to line 9, but rental points must be amortized over the loan term — never expensed in year one.
Lending Your Own Money for a Living: Licensing, Usury Caps, and Bookkeeping for Hard Money Lenders
US private lending: business-purpose loans escape licensing and usury caps only if documented so, points count as interest, and IRS Section 166 rules bad debt.
Home Equity Agreements: What Shared-Appreciation Cash Really Costs
Home equity agreements trade cash now for a share of your home's future value — no interest, but a balloon settlement and no IRS mortgage-interest deduction.
HOA Reserve Fund Accounting: Why Your Repair Money Needs Its Own Bank Account
Commingling HOA reserve and operating cash violates Florida and Washington law — and reserve interest is taxable on IRS Form 1120-H even when dues are not.
DC May Let Renters Host on Airbnb: What the 2026 Short-Term Rental Act Means for Tenants
DC's 2026 Short-Term Rental Act would let renters host on Airbnb, but it isn't law yet. Budget a $99 license, $250K insurance, Schedule C and DC's D-30 tax.
Assuming the Seller's 3% Mortgage: How FHA, VA, and USDA Loan Assumptions Work in 2026
FHA, VA and USDA mortgages can be assumed at the seller's 3% rate while new loans cost 6.76%; the catch is the equity gap due at closing.
The Backyard Cottage P&L: What an ADU Really Costs, Earns, and Does to Your Taxes
ADU rental income goes on IRS Schedule E: split shared costs by square footage, depreciate the unit over 27.5 years, and plan for 25% recapture tax at sale.
Canada's Capital Gains Inclusion Rate Is Still One-Half: Selling a Business or Rental in 2026
Canada cancelled the two-thirds capital gains inclusion rate on March 21, 2025, but kept the $1.25M lifetime exemption — roughly $1,275,000 indexed for 2026. Here are the QSBC tests, CCA recapture, and 45(2)/45(3) elections that decide your bill.
You Own the Land but Not the Minerals: How Lease Bonuses, Royalties, and Depletion Are Taxed
Oil and gas lease bonuses, delay rentals, and royalties are all ordinary income reported on Schedule E — but royalties qualify for 15% percentage depletion that can continue after your basis hits zero. How each payment is taxed, where it goes on your return, and the state traps to avoid.