When you sell a rental property, you need to pay tax on the profit (or gain) that you realize. The IRS taxes the profit you made selling your rental property two different ways: Capital gains tax rate of 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on filing status and taxable income.

Is a rental property subject to capital gains tax?

While the sale of your family home – or main residence – is usually tax free, each time you sell an investment property you must pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the transaction. With rentals, the capital gains tax on the property applies on the date you sign the contract of sale.

How are capital gains taxed when selling a rental property?

Selling rental properties can earn investors immense profits, but may result in significant capital gains tax burdens. There are various methods of reducing capital gains tax, including tax-loss harvesting, using Section 1031 of the tax code, and converting your rental property into your primary place of residence.

What happens when you sell a rental property?

For tax purposes, a rental house or condo is considered an investment property, which makes the sale a bit more complicated. When you sell a rental it can be subject to different taxes and rules than a standard residential sale. Read on for the essential facts. 1. Your tenant may have first right of refusal if you’re selling a rental property

What’s the difference between selling a rental property and selling a primary home?

When it comes to paying capital gains taxes, there are major differences between selling a rental property and selling your primary residence, says Sean T. O’Hare, a CPA with O’Hare Associates in New England.

How to reduce your tax exposure when selling a rental property?

What You Get: The ability to subtract those losses from the capital gains realized from the rental property sale An effective way to reduce your tax exposure when selling a rental property is to pair the gain from the sale with a loss in another area of your investments.