Rental Property Tax Preparation in Columbus, OH
Rental property taxes are reported on Schedule E and involve some of the most valuable deductions in the tax code — depreciation chief among them. Columbus landlords can typically depreciate the structure (excluding land) over 27.5 years for residential property, which alone often eliminates taxable rental income. Add operating expenses, mortgage interest, repairs vs. improvements, and passive activity rules, and Schedule E becomes the most complex schedule most individual filers face.
Serving Columbus, Franklin County · Conveniently located on Morse Rd
$275 for single rental property Schedule E
Columbus · Columbus Metro
Why this Rental Property Tax Preparation page is written for Columbus
In Columbus Metro, taxpayers most often come to us for ITIN preparation, mixed-status returns, and prior-year cleanup — the kind of work that requires careful identity-document review. For Columbus taxpayers, we review every W-2, 1099, ITIN letter, and dependent ID against the return before anything is e-filed or mailed.
a remarkably diverse metro with established Somali, Bhutanese-Nepali, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Mexican, Guatemalan, and West African communities — and Columbus, with a population near 905,748, reflects that mix in its schools, workplaces, and houses of worship.
I-270 outerbelt access makes our Morse Rd office reachable from any direction in 20-30 minutes. From Columbus (ZIP 43215), the trip is roughly 0 miles each way.
Columbus sits in Columbus Metro, anchored by state government, OhioHealth, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Honda manufacturing east of the city, and a fast-growing logistics corridor along Rickenbacker. Franklin County, where Columbus is located, is a major metropolitan center where county-level vital records, federal building access, and immigration-related services are all locally available.
At roughly 0 miles (~0 min drive) from Columbus, we plan return prep to finish in one sitting whenever possible. We also serve families across the rest of Columbus Metro, where many of our Columbus clients have relatives, coworkers, and shared community ties.
Our Columbus clients commonly include families served by Columbus City Schools and workers and patients tied to OhioHealth / Mount Carmel / Nationwide Children's.
Rental Property Tax Preparation for Columbus Residents
Columbus landlords report rental income on Schedule E with depreciation, operating expenses, and passive activity rules. Franklin County rental markets vary widely — from urban Columbus rentals to suburban single-family homes to rural duplexes — but the tax treatment follows the same federal rules. We specialize in maximizing depreciation, distinguishing repairs from improvements, and applying the $25,000 active participation exception for AGIs under $150k.
What We Handle
Schedule E (rental income and expenses) preparation
Depreciation calculation (residential 27.5 years, commercial 39 years)
Repairs vs. improvements distinction (huge tax impact)
Passive activity loss limitations and carryforward
Real estate professional status analysis (if applicable)
Multi-property aggregation and consolidated reporting
Section 199A QBI deduction for rental income
Pricing
$275 for single rental property Schedule E. $200 per additional property. $400+ for cost segregation studies or 1031 exchange tracking.
Turnaround
3-5 business days for clean records. Cost segregation studies: 2-4 weeks.
What to Bring
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a repair and an improvement?+
Repairs maintain existing function (fixing a leak, painting a wall) and are immediately deductible. Improvements add value or extend life (new roof, kitchen remodel, HVAC replacement) and must be capitalized and depreciated over years. The distinction has huge tax impact — we apply IRS Tangible Property Regulations to maximize current deductions.
Why does my rental show a loss when I made money?+
Depreciation. The IRS lets you deduct ~3.64% of the building cost annually for 27.5 years (residential rental). On a $200,000 property (with $40,000 land value), that's $5,818/year of depreciation deduction. Add operating expenses, and many cash-positive rentals show paper losses on Schedule E.
Can I deduct rental losses against my W-2 income?+
Generally rental losses are passive losses, which can only offset passive income. EXCEPTION: if your AGI is under $100,000 and you actively participate (make management decisions), you can deduct up to $25,000 in rental losses against ordinary income. The exception phases out between $100k-$150k AGI.
Where is your office in Columbus?+
Our office is at 3185 Morse Rd, Suite 15, Columbus OH 43231 — in the heart of Columbus. Walk in any day Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 10am–4pm. No appointment needed.
Do Columbus residents owe school district income tax?+
If you live within the Columbus City Schools boundary, you may owe Ohio school district income tax on top of federal and Ohio IT-1040 state tax. The SD-100 return is filed alongside your Ohio return. We handle all three (federal, state, school district) as part of standard tax preparation.
Rental Property Tax Preparation in Nearby Cities
Also serving these Columbus Metro communities:
Rental Property Tax Help in Columbus
Schedule E specialists — depreciation, repairs, passive losses. Walk in to our Columbus-area office.
3185 Morse Rd, Ste 15, Columbus, OH 43231 · Mon–Sat 10am–6pm · Sun 10am–4pm