Cost segregation on a $500K Duplex reclassifies $54,000 into accelerated depreciation.
Engineering-based study using industry-standard 2026 construction cost data and IRS Audit Techniques Guide methodology. Numbers below are computed from the same formula our production studies use — adjust for your actual property with the calculator at the bottom.
How the $54,000 splits across 5-, 7-, and 15-year property.
These percentages are illustrative for a duplex of this size and age. Your study reports component-level detail so your CPA can place each item on the correct depreciation schedule.
5-year property
Personal property: appliances, carpet, FF&E, decorative finishes. Fully bonus-eligible at 100% under OBBBA (2025+).
7-year property
Office furniture, certain equipment, specialty fixtures. Also bonus-eligible.
15-year property
Land improvements: driveways, fencing, landscaping, site lighting. Bonus-eligible.
Without a study vs. with one.
At a 37% federal bracket, that's $19,980 in cash you keep instead of paying — a 15× return on the $1,295 study. Run it on your actual property below.
The $500K duplex at four federal brackets.
The headline figure assumes the top 37% bracket. Most owners are not in it, so here is the same $54,000 Year-1 deduction valued at other federal rates, before and after the $1,295 study fee. State income tax comes on top where your state conforms to federal bonus depreciation.
| Federal bracket | Year-1 tax value | After the $1,295 fee |
|---|---|---|
| 24% | $12,960 | $11,665 |
| 32% | $17,280 | $15,985 |
| 35% | $18,900 | $17,605 |
| 37% | $19,980 | $18,685 |
A $500K purchase price falls in the $300K–$700K band of our Multifamily 2–4 (Duplex / Triplex / Fourplex) pricing, a flat $1,295. At $700,000 and above the next band applies ($1,495). See the full pricing table.
Depreciation on a $400,000 basis, with and without the study.
The Year-1 reclassification of $54,000 equals about 3.7 years of standard 27.5-year depreciation on this property. After Year 1 the study's annual deduction is smaller, because the reclassified $54,000 has already been taken and only the $346,000 remaining building basis is still depreciating. Full years shown; the purchase year is shorter under the mid-month convention.
| Year | No study | With study | Cumulative extra deduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $14,545 | $66,582 | $52,036 |
| Year 2 | $14,545 | $12,582 | $50,073 |
| Year 3 | $14,545 | $12,582 | $48,109 |
| Year 4 | $14,545 | $12,582 | $46,145 |
| Year 5 | $14,545 | $12,582 | $44,182 |
The cumulative gap narrows by $1,964 a year and closes over the recovery period; cost segregation changes when you deduct, not how much. Depreciation taken is generally recaptured on a taxable sale.
- $350K duplex: $37,800 reclassified on a $280,000 basis
- The duplex cost segregation guide explains which components drive these numbers.
Your property is probably not exactly $500K.
Plug in your actual purchase price, property type, age, and finish level on the homepage calculator. It uses the same engine — no signup, results in 60 seconds.