Can you write off principal payments on rental property

When you’re a landlord, you have a lot of big expenses – not the least of which is interest paid on mortgages and loans. Fortunately, that interest can be deducted on your taxes providing you with at least some relief. Learn about what deductions you can and can’t take and how to claim your mortgage interest in this guide to deducting rental property mortgage interest.

You can also find out more in our guide to the 10 Tax Deductions you can Claim as a Landlord.

1. What is the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction (HMID)?

As a homeowner, you can elect to itemize rather than take the standard deductions on your taxes, and claim the interest on the first $750,000 of mortgage principal you’ve borrowed on your Schedule A. Depending on your circumstances, the home mortgage interest deduction can save you a significant amount on your taxes.

As a landlord, you can’t take the HMID on your rental properties. But that’s actually a good thing, because you can deduct the mortgage interest on your rental properties as business interest on your Schedule E. This offers much more flexibility and doesn’t require you to itemize your Schedule A.

2. Is Mortgage Interest Tax Deductible on Rental Properties?

One of the tax benefits of real estate investing is that your mortgage interest is considered a business expense. You can deduct it on your Schedule E when the loan has been used for a property you’re renting out. All types of home loans can be deducted, including conventional mortgages, nonconforming home loans and FHA loans. Only the interest portion of the loan can be deducted, however.

3. How Much Mortgage Interest is Deductible?

You can deduct all the interest you paid on a mortgage for your rental property, with a few exceptions:

1. The mortgage doesn’t support your rental business

   You can only deduct mortgage interest for loans that were used in your rental business, so a mortgage on the home you live in can’t be deducted. The IRS could ask for records showing how the loan was used and will be displeased if you haven’t followed their strict rules about how the money needs to be traced. Use rental property bookkeeping software to keep track of all your expenses so you can stay organized at tax time and have records at the ready in case you need them.

2. You occupy part of the property

   If you own a detached home and rent out a basement apartment, you can only deduct the portion of interest that covers the basement. The simplest way to calculate this is using the floor area of the home. If the basement unit comprises 1/3 of the square footage, you can deduct 1/3 of your mortgage interest as an expense.

   For example, if the home had a total floor area of 3,000 square feet, and you rented out the 1,000 square-foot basement suite, the rented portion of the home would be 33.3% (1000 sq-ft / 3000 sq-ft = 33.3%). If your annual mortgage interest paid for the home was $12,000, you could deduct $4,000 as an expense ($12,000 x 33.3% = $4,000).

   You may still be able to deduct the interest on your personal portion of the mortgage on your Schedule A.

3. The property wasn’t available for rent for the entire year

   The same is true if the unit was only available for rent for part of the year. If you own a condominium and began renting it out on July 1st, you would only be able to deduct half of the mortgage interest you paid that year. If you use your property for short-term rentals, you can only claim the days the property was actually available for rent (even if you didn’t have a renter on all of those days).

4. The mortgage interest doesn’t apply to the current tax year

   IRS rules state that you can only deduct interest in the year it was applied, which is not necessarily the year it was paid. Money spent on points and origination fees must be deducted over the life of the loan, even if they were paid upfront.

4. Is Mortgage Interest on a Second Home Deductible?

If you own a second home that you use privately, you may be eligible to take the HMID on your Schedule A. You can only deduct the interest on a second home on your Schedule E, however, if it’s being used for rental activity. Here are a few examples.

1. A vacation home used exclusively by you and your family

   Since the vacation home isn’t being rented out, you can’t deduct the mortgage interest from your rental business income on your Schedule E, however you may be able to use the personal mortgage interest deduction on your Schedule A.

2. A vacation home used by your family and rented on Airbnb a few weeks out of the year

   In this case, you can deduct the mortgage interest only on the days the property was available to be rented. If you rented out the home 4 weeks of the year, you would be able to deduct 4/52 of the mortgage interest, or 7.7%.

3. A home with a basement apartment in a city to which you frequently travel
   You can claim the mortgage interest on the portion of the home you’re renting out, typically determined by square footage. If you use the 800 sq-ft basement and rent out the 1200sq-ft main house, you can deduct 8/20 of the mortgage interest, or 40%.

5. Can I Deduct Interest From Other Types of Loans?

As long as a loan is taken to pay for expenses related to your rental properties, you can claim the interest alongside any mortgage interest. Because your real estate business is considered a business, you can claim the interest paid on any rental property loans, from bank loans to lines of credit, and even credit cards as long as you can prove the money was used for your rental properties.

Rental property interest deductions at a glance

Final Thoughts: Tax Deductions for Rental Property Mortgages

There are lots of expenses associated with being a landlord, and mortgage interest is typically one of the largest expenses you will have. Fortunately, you can deduct your mortgage interest as an expense on your Schedule E.

FAQs

Why isn’t all Mortgage Interest deductible?

As a landlord, you can only deduct the mortgage interest that is specifically related to your real estate business. Just as you can’t deduct the cost of your personal expenses, you can’t deduct interest on mortgages for your own home. However, you may be able to deduct your personal mortgage interest on your Schedule A using the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction.

As a landlord, you can only deduct the mortgage interest that is specifically related to your real estate business. Just as you can’t deduct the cost of your personal expenses, you can’t deduct interest on mortgages for your own home. However, you may be able to deduct your personal mortgage interest on your Schedule A using the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction.

What other expenses are tax deductible?

For the most part, all of your rental property expenses can be deducted on your taxes, as long as they’re necessary and reasonable. You can deduct the cost of advertising, insurance, property tax, maintenance and even travel.

How much mortgage interest can I deduct if I also live in the home?

If you’re renting a separate unit in an owner-occupied home, such as a basement apartment, you can deduct a fraction of your mortgage interest equal to the fraction of the home that’s rented out. For example, if your rented basement apartment comprises ¼ of the home’s square footage, you can deduct ¼ of your mortgage interest on your Schedule E. You may also be able to take the HMID on your Schedule A for the remainder of your interest expense.

Can you write off mortgage principal payments on rental?

Are principal payments tax deductible?

What deductions can you claim for rental property?