Selling a rental & depreceation recapture?

[Dustin S.]

Does anyone know how depreceation recapture works?

I am selling a home for the first time and have no idea how this works. I purchased this property in 2008 as a primary residence and turned it into a rental a year later. I purchsed it for $180K and expect to sell it for $210k. I have taken $21k in depreation over the time it has been a rental. I know I will have to pay capital gains tax of 15%/20% on the relized gain of about $20k after about $10k in commision. Do I have to pay tax on the deprecation I have taken as well? If so what percentage?

I would really appreciat some help on this I'm clueless
Thanks

[Jon Holdman]

Your gain on the sale is the net selling price (price less selling costs) less the basis. You basis is the amount you paid plus purchase costs less depreciation taken (or allowed if that's more than you took). So, if $180 is what you paid plus costs and you took $21K in depreciation your basis is now $159. If $200K is what you net from the sale your total gain is $41K. Of that you will pay the tax on unrecaptured depreciation (25%) on $21K of the gain and capital gains tax (15%) on the remaining $20K.

If you have disallowed passive losses in previous years, you can use those to offset some of the gain.

There's also a bit of trickiness around basis when you convert a primary residence to a rental. I don't recall the details.

Your accountant should be able to work through all the details for you.

A 1031 exchange is something to consider if you're thinking of buying another rental.