If you have rental properties, you're entitled to a number of tax deductions related to running your rental property. If you've taken out a mortgage, you can take even more deductions. Mortgage interest and private mortgage insurance payments are deductible immediately, but other costs related to getting the mortgage must be spread over the life of the mortgage. These include abstract fees, legal fees and recording costs. To deduct the costs, you must use Form 1040 for your tax return and attach Schedule E.
Step 1
Report the amount of mortgage interest paid on your rental property on line 12 of IRS Schedule E, assuming that the mortgage is from a financial institution like a bank and you received a Form 1098 documenting the payment. If that's not the case, report the interest on line 13 of Schedule E instead.
Step 2
Report the deductible portion of your mortgage expenses, such as closing costs and legal fees, as depreciation expenses on line 18 of Schedule E. These costs must be deducted over the life of the mortgage rather than in the year you pay them.
Step 3
Report the mortgage insurance premiums paid, if any, on line 9 of Schedule E. You can't deduct any PMI prepaid for future years.
Step 4
Add the mortgage expenses to your other rental expenses and report the total on line 20 of Schedule E. Other expenses include managements fees, supplies, advertising and repairs.
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Writer Bio
Mark Kennan is a writer based in the Kansas City area, specializing in personal finance and business topics. He has been writing since 2009 and has been published by "Quicken," "TurboTax," and "The Motley Fool."