Skip to main content
Level 2
March 13, 2022
Question

Smart Check Errors

  • March 13, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

Sold my rental.  I disposed of the "improvements" listed as best I know how.  I did not manually enter any of the depreciation numbers. Just the sale numbers as part of my rental sale.

 

After running the errors check I got the following errors: 

 

Error:  Depreciation Method Is Incorrect.  The box populated with the 200% Declining Balance.

 

Opening the box reveals other choices:

150% Declining balance

Straight Line

Prescribed ACRS

Alt Method

125% Declining balance

 

Error:  Prior Depreciation is too large.  For disposition calculations, depreciation  cannot exceed business basis

 

Error:  Recovery Period Must be entered

 

The only thing I can think of is that I changed how I classified those assets differently after realizing I may have misclassified them originally.  Suggestions?

 

    1 reply

    PatriciaV
    Level 15
    March 14, 2022

    Residential Real Estate, including Improvements, is depreciated using the Straight-Line method.

     

    To confirm you set up this property correctly, review your Depreciation Report from last year. In the Method/Convention column, you should see SL/MM (straight line/mid-month). The recovery period (Life) should be 27.5. Also confirm that the total depreciation (prior plus current) at the end of last year was not more than the Cost of the asset.

     

    Note that you cannot change your depreciation settings once you begin depreciating an asset, unless you made a mistake. Even then, you need IRS approval to correct the error.

    **Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
    Level 2
    March 16, 2022

    Thank you!