Cost segregation is a strategic tax planning tool designed to help commercial property owners reduce their taxable income by accelerating depreciation deductions. By identifying and reclassifying the components of a building into shorter depreciation periods, this approach offers a range of financial advantages, making it an essential consideration for any commercial property owner.
When you acquire, construct, or renovate a commercial property, your investment includes more than just the building itself. A cost segregation study identifies and reclassifies key components of the property into shorter depreciation schedules, allowing for accelerated tax deductions and delivering significant financial advantages.
Without a cost segregation study, these components are often grouped together and depreciated over standard periods—39 years for commercial properties. However, by reclassifying eligible components such as lighting, HVAC systems, and flooring into shorter categories (e.g., 5, 7, or 15 years), property owners can reduce taxable income, realize substantial tax savings, and improve cash flow.
While a cost segregation study can be conducted at any point after acquiring, constructing, or renovating a commercial property, certain milestones provide the best opportunities to maximize benefits:
Capture immediate tax savings by identifying eligible components.
Ensure all qualifying improvements are documented, properly classified, and depreciated.
Conducting the study early in the construction process helps align tax strategies with project planning, maximizing the potential benefits.
Cost segregation offers powerful tax benefits for commercial property owners, but understanding its full potential requires a detailed analysis. Contact us today for a complimentary cost segregation benefit estimate to see how your property could benefit from accelerated depreciation and improved tax savings. Our team will provide a tailored breakdown that helps you optimize your financial strategy and plan for future investments.
Accelerated depreciation generates immediate tax savings, providing increased cash flow that can be reinvested in the business, used to cover operational expenses, or applied to debt reduction.
A thorough breakdown of the property’s major components allows property owners to depreciate those components over shorter periods, maximizing available tax deductions—particularly valuable for capital improvements and replacements.
A professionally conducted study ensures the reclassification of assets is accurate and compliant with IRS guidelines, reducing the risk of non-compliance and offering audit defense in case of scrutiny.
Get in touch to explore customized tax solutions today