3 Cost Segregation Trigger Events In Real Estate Life Cycle

While cost segregation is useful throughout the real estate life cycle, there are certain events that tee up particularly strong cost seg opportunities. These events should automatically trigger consideration of a cost segregation study, since picking the right moment can maximize benefit.  Read on for our top 3 cost segregation study triggers – so you can proactively recognize opportunity.   

1. New Construction of Commercial Property 

Cost segregation takes advantage of the time value of money by front-loading depreciation to the early years of ownership.  As such, to maximize savings from Year 1, a cost seg study should ideally be performed as soon as a newly constructed property is placed-in-service 

Consider a newly constructed hotel placed-in-service in 2021 (100% bonus in play.)  Capstan was retained to perform a study immediately after construction was completed.   

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Bruce Johnson - The Importance Of A Cost Segregation Study

What is Cost Segregation?

Cost segregation is a tax planning strategy that can help real estate owners and tenants to accelerate depreciation deductions. Although standard depreciation occurs over a lengthy 39-year period, many assets within a structure–from plumbing and electrical fixtures to flooring–are not designed to last that long.

The ability to break out such assets for a five-year, seven-year, or 15-year recovery period helps accelerate depreciation, defer taxes, and improve cash flow.

Invest In An Engineering-Driven Cost Segregation Study

An engineering-driven cost segregation study can be useful at any point in the real estate cycle. Whether a property has been newly constructed, recently acquired, or undergone renovations or tenant improvements, a cost segregation study is likely to be a valuable depreciation tool. In certain cases, a look-back study can be appropriate.

Bottom line: If you own your building or if you’ve made improvements (as an owner OR a tenant), you may benefit from a cost segregation study.

Benefits Of Leveraging Cost Segregation

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Tax Savings In A Multi-Family Market With Cost Segregation

The multifamily market remains very strong as an investment.  Along with providing the opportunity to earn rental income, multifamily projects offer a number of tax benefits to the thoughtful investor.  In fact, we’re finding that investors view the tax savings associated with cost segregation as a major reason to consider the multifamily sector.  Since 2018, one of the major drivers has been 100% bonus depreciation for both new and used assets having a shorter than 20-year MACRS class depreciation life.  Prior to the TCJA, you could only take bonus on new construction and renovation assets.  Getting bonus on acquisitions has had a huge impact on commercial real estate, especially the multi-family sector.        

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Cost Seg 201: Current Commercial Real Estate Depreciation Strategies for 2021

Cost Seg 201: Current Commercial Real Estate Depreciation Strategies for 2021

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The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) corrected the recovery period of Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) to 15-year. This has tremendous implications and will play a large role in a modern comprehensive tax strategy. In this session we will examine the historical treatment of Qualified Property Categories and focus on the current status of QIP under the CARES Act. We will also explore other strategies that may be part of a comprehensive tax strategy and will discuss a strategic hierarchy for employing those strategies most successfully. Relevant Rev. Procs. and several real-life case studies will be reviewed.

Learning Objectives:
• Understand the history of Qualified Property Categories.
• Explain the implications of the CARES Act’s correction of QIP recovery period.
• Understand how to incorporate retroactive CARES Act changes into past returns.
• Understand the value of QIP as an indicator of Section 179-eligible property.
• Explain how strategies like Section 179 Expensing, Bonus Depreciation, the Tangible Property Regulations (TPRs) and Energy Incentives all contribute to a comprehensive tax strategy.
• Compare and contrast Bonus and Section 179.
• Use various tax strategies in a strategic manner to maximize savings.

Value Of Cost Segregation Study: Multifamily Residential Property

Renting is more popular than ever – the population of renters in U.S. cities has increased by over 30% since 2000. This has driven a commensurate increase in multifamily construction, and developers are striving to stand out from the pack. Current trends for attracting and retaining residents include time-savings services, flexible wellness zones, and pet-friendly amenities. These “extras” are attractive, but also add to a developer’s bottom line, and many seek out tax savings strategies to offset some of this initial investment.
Project MF is a 457,000SF rental community on the east coast. The facility consists of one four-story building, including 256 apartment units of various configurations. Of these, approximately half are standard apartment rentals, while the remaining units are fully furnished extended stay suites, available with month-to-month
leases. The developers of Project MF wanted to create a place tenants could live, work, exercise, and socialize, and were prepared to provide all the extras. With a depreciable basis exceeding $107M, the property includes a community lounge, conference rooms, café, fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, basement parking garage, and much more.

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Cost Segregation Is A Tax Planning Strategy

What Is Cost Segregation?

Cost segregation is a tax planning strategy that can help real estate owners and tenants to accelerate depreciation deductions. Although standard depreciation occurs over a lengthy 39-year period, many assets within a structure–from plumbing and electrical fixtures to flooring–are not designed to last that long.

The ability to break out such assets for a five-year, seven-year, or 15-year recovery period helps accelerate depreciation, defer taxes, and improve cash flow.

Why Are Cost Segregation Studies Useful?

An engineering-driven cost segregation study can be useful at any point in the real estate cycle. Whether a property has been newly constructed, recently acquired, or undergone renovations or tenant improvements, a cost segregation study is likely to be a valuable depreciation tool. In certain cases, a look-back study can be appropriate.

Read More