Realtor Tax Deductions: Top 16 For 2023
As a busy real estate agent, so much of your time is devoted to clients, colleagues, brokerages, and of course developing leads into new business. Staying on top of all your business expenses and finances often gets pushed down the list of priorities. And when you do sit down to organize your finances, tracking down every receipt and dealing with complicated accounting and tax software can quickly become a nightmare. Even if you’re diligently keeping every receipt in a folder and use Excel to track finances – we call that “spreadsheet accounting” – this method of record-keeping can be tedious and time-consuming.
Independent real estate agents wield a double-edged sword: you’re business owners who have the freedom to work on your own schedule without a boss. There is no ceiling to how much money you can make if you work hard enough. The downside is brokerages are not traditional employers, so taxes are generally not automatically withheld from your commission’s paycheck – but make no mistake, the IRS still wants your tax dollars! Real estate agents are also responsible for the so-called “self-employment” tax, which is a combination of the employee and employer’s portion of Social Security and Medicare tax. With the additional responsibilities of independent business owners like yourself, things can get confusing fast. That’s why it’s important to know exactly what you owe, when you owe it, and how to reduce your tax bill as much as possible.
HOW HURDLR WORKS FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS
Real Estate Agent Business Expenses: Stats You Didn't Know
The typical real estate agent’s business expenses during the year average $6,500, while top performers’ expenses can exceed $10,000. If you’re not tracking and deducting all of your eligible business expenses, you’re shrinking your net income and take home pay by paying too much in taxes. If you had time in your busy schedule to monitor every expense you would. In fact, nearly all of the real estate agents we polled want to improve their accounting and tax process in some way.
That’s where Hurdlr comes in. In addition to our app designed exclusively for busy agents like yourself, Hurdlr for Real Estate Agents, we wrote this guide to identify the 16 best tax deductions for independent real estate agents. When tax time comes around, you’ll be armed with the knowledge that helps you save time and money, so you can focus on building more business and selling more homes.
Here Are 16 Real Estate Agent Tax Deductions
Gig Economy Jobs Like Uber
As an independent contractor, driving for an on demand economy company gives you the ability make money with your extra time. Drive during your lunch break, at night, or during busy weekends – it’s up to you. However, these companies don’t only provide taxi-style services; companies like HopSkipDrive enable the driver to chauffeur kids to their activities around town, similar to a nanny. Other rideshare companies allow the individual to use their vehicle to make extra cash by renting it out or sharing a ride to work. If you have a car, then there’s an on demand economy opportunity out there for you.
Gig Economy Sites Like Airbnb
Make money off renting out your home, car, boat, tools, or almost anything with these sites like Airbnb. If you are out of town, make money while you are away. If you have free space in a home you live in, you can leverage that too. You can also choose specifically who you would like to rent to – say, a college sports fan. Check these hosting companies out below.
Gig Economy Delivery Jobs Like Postmates
Delivery jobs vary in their specific functions, but they all allow independent contractors like yourself to travel, create a flexible schedule, and deliver goods (as opposed to passengers). Jobs like Postmates give you the ability to work short gigs during times like your lunch break or at night, while others like Roadie allow you to use space in your car for somewhere you are already going to deliver a package.
Unskilled On Demand Jobs
If you’re looking to help someone out and make some quick cash, then this section is for you. These companies function as automatic lead generators: instead of finding gigs by yourself, these companies give you the gigs. If you enjoy working with people and assisting them with their problems, many of the companies listed allow you to do just that.
Gig Economy Jobs for Freelancers
Freelancing allows individuals to work wherever they want, whenever they want, with whoever they want. Freelance occupations range from bloggers, lawyers, chefs, stylists, caregivers, techies, and many more. If you like the freedom to travel and be your own boss, check out the companies below.
Rideshare Companies With Jobs Like Uber
As an independent contractor, driving for an on demand economy company gives you the ability make money with your extra time. Drive during your lunch break, at night, or during busy weekends – it’s up to you. However, these companies don’t only provide taxi-style services; companies like HopSkipDrive enable the driver to chauffeur kids to their activities around town, similar to a nanny. Other rideshare companies allow the individual to use their vehicle to make extra cash by renting it out or sharing a ride to work. If you have a car, then there’s an on demand economy opportunity out there for you.
Sites Like Airbnb
Make money off renting out your home, car, boat, tools, or almost anything with these sites like Airbnb. If you are out of town, make money while you are away. If you have free space in a home you live in, you can leverage that too. You can also choose specifically who you would like to rent to – say, a college sports fan. Check these hosting companies out below.
Delivery Jobs Like Postmates
Delivery jobs vary in their specific functions, but they all allow independent contractors like yourself to travel, create a flexible schedule, and deliver goods (as opposed to passengers). Jobs like Postmates give you the ability to work short gigs during times like your lunch break or at night, while others like Roadie allow you to use space in your car for somewhere you are already going to deliver a package.
Unskilled On Demand Jobs
If you’re looking to help someone out and make some quick cash, then this section is for you. These companies function as automatic lead generators: instead of finding gigs by yourself, these companies give you the gigs. If you enjoy working with people and assisting them with their problems, many of the companies listed allow you to do just that.
Freelance On Demand Jobs
Freelancing allows individuals to work wherever they want, whenever they want, with whoever they want. Freelance occupations range from bloggers, lawyers, chefs, stylits, caregivers, techies, and many more. If you like the freedom to travel and be your own boss, check out the companies below.
