Manor Keeper
Pro PM
Notes for property managers running Harbor-size portfolios, plus the operations and finance archive.
New posts for property managers, delivered when a post drops.
One house you couldn't sell still belongs on Schedule E. What first-time landlords should track this year — and when to stop and use the full tax guides.
Read articleSchedule E is for individual landlords on a 1040. Form 8825 is the rental worksheet for partnerships and S corporations. Same books, different form — here is who files which and how the lines map.
Read articleHow DIY landlords should track rental expenses for taxes: a dedicated account, Schedule E categories, receipts, 2026 mileage rates, and a weekly habit that survives April.
Read articleLate fees feel like extra cash. Schedule E cares how you booked them — lease policy versus what you charged, state caps, and how the fee shows up in a tax packet.
Read articleDIY landlords often under-deduct because the year lived in their head. Here are the Schedule E expenses that quietly disappear, how to document them, and how to hand your accountant a packet instead of a shoebox.
Read articleA step-by-step guide to calculating your rental property depreciation deduction using ManorKeeper's calculator—including how to split land from building value and what the results mean for Schedule E.
Read articleA family buyer may be able to use a gift of equity instead of bringing the whole down payment in cash. Here is what that means for the lender, your sale proceeds, taxes, and the relationship.
Read articleMoving, co-owning with family, or turning your old house into a rental can change whether you qualify for a homestead exemption. Here is how small landlords should think through occupancy, ownership, deadlines, and rental math before filing.
Read articleA practical records policy for DIY landlords: which closing documents, lease files, tax records, maintenance receipts, deposit records, and insurance paperwork to keep, what can be scanned, and what should not be tossed too soon.
Read articleHow the IRS treats rental income as passive activity, what the $25,000 exception means for small landlords, and when losses are deductible against other income.
Read articleHow depreciation recapture works when you sell a rental property, what tax rate applies, and strategies to defer or minimize the tax hit.
Read articleThe difference between repairs and capital improvements for tax purposes, how to classify common expenses, and what it means for your deductions.
Read articleEvery deductible expense category for rental property owners—from obvious costs like mortgage interest to commonly missed deductions like mileage and software.
Read articleYour sister wants to move into your former primary-turned-rental. You'd charge her roughly mortgage cost—not market rent—for peace of mind. Before you hand over keys, understand personal use, fair rental days, and what the IRS stops letting you deduct.
Read articleA plain-English guide to Schedule E—what each expense line means, which deductions landlords commonly miss, and the record-keeping habits that make tax prep take an afternoon instead of a week.
Read article