The ATO is particularly targeting property investors that are not using the help of a specialist property tax accountant like Umbrella Property Accountant, due to the high error rate being discovered from ATO Audits.

The ATO Audits into self-preparers have uncovered nine out of ten tax returns reviewed were filed with errors.

The most common errors discovered from ATO Audits on Rental Property Tax Returns have been: –

• Leaving our rental Income
  • This may be due to holiday letting. Share Economy Accommodation Platforms like Airbnb and the like!
  https://umbrellaaccountants.com.au/property-knowledge/cgt-on-the-sale-of-your-home-with-a-granny-flat-or-ancillary-dwelling-used-for-private-business-or-investment/
  • Granny Flat Rentals on a commercial basis, rather than to family!
  • Shared Accommodation, boarders paying rental income for a bedroom and the like.
• Overclaiming expenses against rental properties
  • Claiming for improvements to private homes against rental properties
  • Claiming initial repairs required when buying a property as an outright expense, when these initial repairs were legacy issues at the time of purchase.
• Overclaiming interest deductions, “Around 80% of taxpayers with rental income claimed a deduction for interest on their loan, and this is where we see mistakes, “ATO Assistant Commissioner Time Loah states.
  • Using the equity in existing investment properties to refinance for personal items, such as holidays, school fees, new cars, and improvements to personal home, the additional loans and associated interest continued to be claimed as interest deduction against the rental property, when there is no nexus to the increased debt or interest to the original rental property.

Umbrella Property Accountants headed up by Garry Wolnarek have completed thousands of rental property tax returns over decades and many property cycles.

There are many opportunities to structure income and expenses to be tax effective to reduce tax without drawing unnecessary attention to an ATO Audit.

However, if in the unlikely event, one of our clients is Audited, we will be happy to defend any tax deduction claims we have included in your rental property tax returns.

To book any property tax advice appointments, or to seek assistance in responding to an ATO Audit see the link below.

https://calendly.com/garrywolnarek_umbrellaaccountants/property-advice-498-office-online-upa

To book a property tax return preparation appointment, see also the link below.

https://calendly.com/garrywolnarek_umbrellaaccountants/90min-rental-property-tax-returns-upa