You would enter the roof in the Rental Properties and Royalties section of the program (click the Start or Update button to the right of Assets /Depreciation) and note that you need to select "residential rental real estate" so the roof is depreciated over the appropriate time period; 27.5 years.
Also note that you may be able to expense the roof if the following is applicable in your case.
This election is an option you can take each year that lets you write off some building improvements as expenses instead of assets. Expenses typically reduce your income by a larger amount than depreciating an asset over multiple years does. This means you could get a bigger refund.
Here are the rules you need to meet to take this election:
- Your gross receipts, including all your other income, are $10,000,000 or less.
- Your eligible building has an unadjusted basis of $1,000,000 or less.
- The cost of all repairs, maintenance and improvements is less than or equal to the smallest of these limits:
- 2% of the unadjusted basis of your building or
- $10,000
This election for building improvements is called the Safe Harbor Election for Small Taxpayers. If you decide to take this option, a form called Safe Harbor Election for Small Taxpayers will show up in your tax return. This election will apply to all your businesses, rental properties or farms.
