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Employee
March 21, 2024
Question

Writing off small items on a schedule E

  • March 21, 2024
  • 2 replies
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I have an airbnb. can I write off small items such as a $30 iron under supplies or does it have to be depreciated on the property assets page?

    2 replies

    March 21, 2024

    A small item such as a $30 iron would be a miscellaneous expense not a depreciable asset. 

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    pbmunkeyAuthor
    Employee
    March 21, 2024
    • Is there a Dollar threshold, where a small item would just be considered a miscellaneous expense
    March 25, 2024

    It depends. The IRS does allow the expensing of certain items up to $2,500 without having to depreciate them. TurboTax asks questions in the rental interview to help you identify which items to treat as assets subject to depreciation versus current-year expenses.

     

    Rental property is considered a depreciable asset, as are major improvements such as new roofs, landscaping, refrigerators, water heaters, furniture, and so forth. Depreciation lets you deduct the "used up" part of an asset's cost year after year, until the entire cost is used up or you no longer own it. It provides for wear and tear or obsolescence of the property or asset.

     

    Depreciation deducts the asset's cost over time rather than deducting it all at once, as you would when deducting an expense.

     

    Expenses are used to deduct the entire cost of services, utilities, fees, and consumable items (like cleaning supplies, light bulbs, smoke alarms, and batteries).

     

    Deductible expenses include, but aren't limited to:

    • Cleaning and cleaning supplies
    • Maintenance and related supplies
    • Repairs
    • Utilities
    • Insurance

    See this TurboTax help article and this one for more information.

     

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