Oh this is a great point I hadn't even considered! I do arrange installation through subcontractors for about 60% of my projects. Would that still count as me providing installation services even though I'm subcontracting it out? Or does it matter that I'm including it as one bill to the client?

Generally what matters is how you present it to the client. If you're billing the client for a single transaction that includes both products and installation (even if subcontracted), most states will look at the entire transaction as a whole when determining tax treatment. If you separately state the charges on the invoice, some states will allow you to collect tax only on the product portion. But this varies dramatically by state. In some states like California, even separated charges might be considered part of a "bundled transaction" if they're part of the same project.

Yep, Colorado is especially bad with this! Almost 100 different local tax jurisdictions, many with their own rules. Louisiana is another nightmare state for local taxes. That's why I ended up using a sales tax compliance service rather than trying to figure it all out myself.

Thank you for this suggestion! We did replace the roof about 7 years ago (around $11,000) and installed central air conditioning (about $8,500) about 5 years ago. We also replaced all the windows about 9 years ago for around $6,500. I don't think our tax person asked about any of this specifically. Would these count as improvements that could help reduce our tax bill? And if so, do we need receipts or some kind of proof, because honestly I'm not sure if we kept all of that paperwork.

Yes, all of those would absolutely count as capital improvements that increase your cost basis! The roof, HVAC, and windows are all classic examples of capital improvements rather than repairs. Even without receipts, you can still claim these improvements, though documentation is preferred. If you don't have receipts, try to gather whatever evidence you can - canceled checks, credit card statements, emails with contractors, or even photos showing the before and after. You could also get estimates from contractors showing what similar work would have cost in those years as supporting evidence. These improvements total around $26,000, which could significantly reduce your tax bill. Definitely bring this information to your tax preparer right away or consider getting a second opinion from a CPA who specializes in real estate taxation.

This is an important point - loan amount doesn't impact basis, but if the loan proceeds were used for property improvements, those DO increase basis. I made this mistake on my first rental and it cost me thousands.

How do you track this yourself? My syndicator doesn't provide any details beyond the K-1 and when I asked about my carryover basis after our 1031, they just said "talk to your CPA." But my CPA wants documentation from THEM about how they calculated everything.

You need to maintain your own parallel records. Start with your original capital contribution, then add income reported on K-1s each year and subtract losses and distributions. This is your "outside basis" tracking. When the 1031 exchange happens, this basis should transfer to your interest in the new property, with adjustments if there was any boot or mortgage relief that triggered gain recognition. If your syndicator won't provide the calculations, you can derive them by comparing the final K-1 from the old partnership with the initial K-1 from the new one. The capital account sections should show how your investment transferred.

California is notorious for this. They consider it a sale if property leaves CA, even if it qualifies for 1031 treatment federally. Had the same issue when our syndication sold CA property and bought in Arizona. We all had to file nonresident CA returns and pay tax on the gain.

I logged into my account and there's nothing about an outstanding balance or pending charges. Just looks normal. I've checked all email folders including spam - absolutely nothing from them requesting payment. My contact info is all current too. It's just weird that they haven't made any attempt to collect.

That's definitely unusual. Their automated system should have flagged your account by now. Most likely explanations: There's a glitch in their system that failed to flag your account as unpaid. This happens sometimes when the IRS changes delivery method without proper notification codes to the software company. The best ethical approach would be to contact them, but realistically, if you don't, there are two possible outcomes: either they'll eventually discover the error and bill you (could be weeks or even months), or it falls through the cracks permanently. I've seen both happen.

Do tax prep companies really send unpaid fees to collections? Seems excessive for what, like a $100 charge?

That's the kind of thing I'm worried about! I don't mind paying what I owe, but it's weird they haven't contacted me at all. Maybe I should just call them before it gets worse. Thanks for sharing what happened to your friend - definitely don't want collections involvement.

That's really helpful! I have done some work on the property - replaced the roof and updated the electrical. Would those count? And do I need any special documentation beyond the receipts?

Yes, a new roof and electrical updates definitely count as capital improvements that can be added to your basis! Keep all receipts, contracts, and if possible, before and after photos of the work done. For substantial improvements like these, it's also good to have the contractor invoices that detail the work performed, not just the payment receipts. The IRS wants to see that these were actual improvements that extended the life or value of the property, not just repairs or maintenance.

This is actually pretty risky advice. Seller financing means you don't get all your cash upfront, which defeats the OPs purpose of paying off debt and buying another house. Plus you take on the risk of buyer default. There are better ways to manage the tax situation.