Start your cost segregation study.

Your estimated Year-1 deduction

From the homepage calculator. Confirm property details below to order.

Order now and we’ll start your CPA-ready report. Add photos and details after checkout to maximize accuracy.

Encrypted & secure · payments handled by Stripe

Studies from $495 · add your property to see your first-year benefit.

Estimated first-year tax benefit

—

Add your property info to estimate your first-year benefit.

Purchase price—

Less estimated land (—)—

Estimated depreciable basis—

Est. reclassified to short-life (—)—

× — marginal rate—

Illustrative planning estimate from typical shares for this property type — not your study result. Your study measures your building; your CPA confirms eligibility and final tax treatment.

Study fee

$495

One-time fee

Estimated benefit is — the study fee.Your CPA confirms eligibility and final tax treatment.

1Property

2Purchase & timeline

3Your details

Step 1 of 3

Step 1: your property details

Starting at

$495

Flat fee — same engineered methodology as top firms

Property Address *

Unit / Apt / Suite # (optional — for condos & multi-unit buildings)

Property Type *

Single-Family Rental

Small Multifamily (2–4 units)

Sited on a leased lot in a park? We treat the purchase as the home only, with no land allocation. If you own the lot underneath it, email support@costsegsmart.com and we'll set the study up that way.

Total Square Footage * The full property square footage — we treat it all as rental-use. Use part of it personally? You can carve that out after checkout.

Is this property… *

Bought a brand-new home from a builder or developer? Choose I bought it. Choose I had it built only if you paid the contractors and have (or can get) the construction costs.

Purchase Price * Enter your build-out cost (what you spent improving the leased space) — not rent or a purchase price. Best documents to upload below: depreciation schedule, fixed-asset register, construction budget, AIA G702/G703, invoices, photos. Total hard + soft construction cost — everything you spent to build it, not counting the land. We'll ask for your builder's breakdown on the next screen; documented actual costs make a materially stronger study than our estimates.

Do you know what the lot cost?

Lot purchase price

No problem — we'll ask again when you send your cost breakdown. It doesn't change your deduction either way; land is reported separately from the building.

Total project cost: —

Do you have a cost breakdown from your builder? Using your contractor's actual cost ledger typically produces the most defensible study, because every classified dollar ties to a documented project cost instead of an estimated construction model. If you have one, we'll hold your study until it arrives rather than build the weaker version.

Who paid for the improvements? * This determines who owns the depreciable basis. If the landlord funded and owns the improvements, the deduction is theirs — so we confirm this up front.

I'm under contract — I haven't closed yet Order now and we'll build the study right after you close. Nothing is lost by the wait: your depreciation starts when the property is ready to rent.

When do you expect to close? * We'll ask for your settlement statement once you close. That's what sets your purchase price, the land split and your placed-in-service date.

When did you buy it? *

When did you start renting it out? *

When tenants/guests first occupied

How did you acquire it? *

What tax year are you filing for? (prior-year property — optional) I've already filed my return for that year Lets your report include a Form 3115 §481(a) catch-up estimate. Your CPA confirms the final figure.

Number of Units

Your details

Full Name *

Email *

Phone (optional) We'll only call or text if we spot an issue with your report details.

Property photos (recommended, not required)

Quick to add and they really sharpen your report — exterior, interior, kitchen, bathrooms, mechanicals (5–10 works well). Or add them after checkout; we complete your study from your intake details and public records either way.

Click or drag photos here

Have a promo code?

Discount -$0

New Total $---

Study fee$—

Discount—

Total$—

Payment

I agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

No payment method required · your study is fully discounted.

By continuing to secure payment you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy — you’ll confirm on the encrypted checkout page.

CPA-ready report Free revisions Money-back guarantee

Secure payment via Stripe · you can add photos, invoices, furniture lists, or renovation records after checkout

Prefer to talk to a human first? Request custom scoping and we’ll reply personally within one business day.

Custom-scoped engagement

We’ll scope this with you.

This property type is scoped per-engagement based on engineering complexity, specialty MEP, site improvements, and entity coordination. Share a few details and we’ll send a scoped quote within one business day.

Most engagements close in one call. No deposit required to receive a quote.

✓

Got it.

We’ll respond within one business day with a scoped engagement quote. Check your inbox — if you don’t see it, we’ll also reach out by phone if you shared one.

Optional details — skip these for now or add them after checkout

Common elements — ownership Does your condominium declaration give you an ownership interest in the shared areas (pool, gym, parking, landscaping, roof deck), rather than only the right to use them? Most declarations do. If you own a share, part of what you paid is attributable to those assets and some of it may qualify for shorter recovery periods. Yes — I hold an undivided ownership interest in the common elements
No — I only have the right to use them
I’m not sure If you are not sure, leave it there and we will ask your CPA. We do not review the declaration as part of this study, so we cannot answer it for you.

Office features (check all present) Each detected feature activates property-class-specific reclassification candidates. Items not checked default to off. Raised access flooring

Medical office features (check all present) Specialty clinical infrastructure activates HCA-doctrine reclassification candidates. Imaging suite (MRI, CT, X-ray, dental pano)
Negative-pressure isolation or HEPA filtration rooms
Lead-lined partitions / shielding for imaging (engineer-review)

Retail features (check all present) Tenant-trade-specific infrastructure activates §1245 trade-fixture candidates. Refrigeration / display cases (grocery, convenience, specialty food)
Fitting rooms
Entry vestibule / storefront air curtain
Roll-down security grilles (engineer-review)

Restaurant features (check all present) Kitchen and bar equipment infrastructure activates §1245 specialty-MEP candidates per Pub. 5653. Walk-in cooler / freezer
Display refrigeration, pastry cases, service line
Bar program (speed rails, underbar refrigeration, beverage lines)
Drive-thru lane
Outdoor patio / dining
Under-slab grease interceptors / embedded sanitary piping (engineer-review)

Industrial features (check all present) Operational infrastructure activates §1245 HCA-doctrine candidates. Truck-court paving is 15-yr regardless. Loading docks (dock levelers, seals, shelters, bumpers)
Compressed air distribution
Material handling (conveyors, tugger charging, racking power)
Industrial wash bays / trench drains (engineer-review)
High-amp service / specialty process plumbing (production)
Office mezzanine / front-of-building offices
Trailer parking / storage paving
Refrigerated / cold-storage facility — refrigeration system (compressors, evaporators, condensers)

Office buildout, equipment & site improvements (optional) A finished front office and protective site/equipment improvements carry their own short-life value. Enter what you know — all optional; field-visit measurements take precedence when we visit. Leave blank if unknown.

Finished office area (SF)

of which ceramic/porcelain tile (SF)

of which LVP/vinyl/carpet (SF)

Gate operators (slide/swing)

Overhead-door operators

Interior protective bollards

Site light poles

Dumpster/trash enclosures

Flagpoles

Owner pad-mount transformers

Perimeter gravel / stabilized yard (SF)

Sidewalk / courtyard hardscape (SF)

Self-storage features (check all present) These activate additional §1245 / 15-yr candidates. Roll-up doors & drive aisles are modeled from the type automatically. Climate-controlled units (conditioned HVAC)
Gated site access / keypad entry system

Mixed-use features (check all present) Ground-floor occupant type and structured-parking arrangement drive component activation. Ground-floor food/grocery/restaurant tenant with refrigeration or walk-in cooler
Ground-floor retail/restaurant vestibule

Clinic features (check all present) These activate additional §1245 candidates. Surgical, kennel & treatment fit-out is modeled from the type automatically. Digital imaging / X-ray / ultrasound suite
Lab / pharmacy / vaccine refrigeration

Center features (check all present) The licensing-driven fit-out — secure entry, per-room hand-wash and changing casework, classroom cubbies and the playground — is modeled from the type automatically. Check what else is here. A licensed centre serves meals, so the commercial kitchen is always included — there is nothing to tick here.

Center features (check all present) The nurse station, medication room, nurse-call and dining fit-out are modeled from the type automatically. These two vary center to center. Salon / barber station

Building features (check all present) Sound, presentation lighting, projection, seating and carpet are modeled from the type automatically. Check an item only if it conveyed with the building. Fellowship hall commercial kitchen (not just a warming kitchen)
Pipe or digital organ, conveyed with the building

Dealership site & features The paved display/inventory lot is usually the single biggest deduction on a dealership — it scales with the lot. A few features can't be read from records; confirm what's present. Approx. paved display / inventory lot size (SF, optional) Body shop / collision center (paint booth)
Detail / wash bay
EV charging stations
Large service department (6+ bays)
Compressed-air distribution (reels, drops to service bays)

Equipment inventory — the heart of a gym study Cardio machines, strength, racks, and free weights are removable 5/7-year property — the biggest tax lever in a fitness facility. Enter the approximate documented value per category (a total you can back up with an invoice / asset schedule). The mix tells us your facility type and activates the right flooring & improvements. Optional, but it's where most of the benefit is — add a detailed equipment schedule for maximum acceleration.

Cardio (treadmills, ellipticals, bikes) $ Strength machines (selectorized / plate) $ Racks, rigs & platforms $ Free weights (dumbbells, barbells, plates) $ Studio (reformers, mats, yoga/pilates) $

Facility features (check all present) A few features we can't read off the equipment list. We stay conservative unless you confirm them. Dedicated weightlifting / turf performance flooring
Indoor pool
Sauna / steam room
Commercial-grade HVAC / dehumidification upgrade

Community amenities (check all present) Shared amenities across the property — these are separable 5- and 15-year improvements the building shell doesn't capture, so they accelerate. Check what's on site; we stay conservative unless you confirm them. Package locker room / parcel lockers
Dog park / fenced pet run (with wash station)
Sport court (pickleball / tennis / basketball)
Playground / tot lot
Splash pad / water play feature
Sauna / wellness room

Site & building features (check all present) Common improvements beyond the building shell — check what applies. Captured as separate depreciable components; add a documented cost if you have one. Paved parking lot / drive aisles
Exterior signage (monument / building-mounted)
Security / access control (cameras, card readers, alarm)
Loading dock(s)
Elevator
Documented tenant-improvement buildout

Was equipment included in the purchase? Turnkey / practice purchases often include equipment (e.g. dental chairs & imaging, sterilizers, kitchen line, machinery). When it's part of the acquisition, it's reclassifiable 5/7-year personal property — we include it only with documentation.

Documented equipment value (optional) Enter the documented total if known, or upload the purchase-price allocation / equipment schedule / invoice after checkout. We carve it out as observed personal property — it never inflates the building estimate.

Did the purchase include furniture, fixtures & décor (FF&E)? Turnkey commercial purchases often convey FF&E (dining tables & chairs, bar stools, display fixtures, décor) — 7-year personal property. Pick the level that fits. If you have an itemized list or purchase allocation (Form 8594), choose “documented” and upload it after checkout — documented values are used instead of an estimate.

Documented FF&E value (optional) Enter the documented total if known, or upload an asset list / purchase allocation after checkout. Documented values are carved out as observed property; otherwise we use a conservative estimate for the level you chose (and hold the report for a quick review).

Property features (optional)

Pool, deck, garage, solar, etc. — check what applies and we'll capture those site improvements beyond the building shell. Optional. Swimming pool Deck / patio Is it attached to the house, or freestanding on the ground? Fencing Professional landscaping Garage Solar panel system Washer & dryer conveyed with the property How many separate laundry setups? (required for us to include it) A washer and dryer pair with the hookups serving them. A laundry sink or an unused rough-in doesn’t count. Most houses are 1. Low-voltage, AV & smart home Dedicated equipment serving the home — separate from the building’s own wiring. Counts are optional; give them if you know them and we’ll use yours instead of an estimate. Structured network cabling & patch rack Network drops (ports on the patch panel), if known Network equipment & Wi-Fi access points Access points, if known Distributed / whole-home audio Zones (rooms with speakers), if known Smart-home control system Wall touch panels, if known Home theater

Which best describes it? (required for us to include it) Display

Appliances included in the sale Just check what’s there — no need to know the wiring. Electric appliances have their own dedicated circuit, which is 5-year property we can capture. Gas ones don’t, so checking them tells us not to claim it. Electric range / oven Gas range / oven (no dedicated circuit) Dishwasher Garbage disposal Built-in microwave Electric clothes dryer Gas clothes dryer (no dedicated circuit) Clothes washer Specialty appliances Less common, and each has its own dedicated circuit — worth checking if you have them. Cooking appliances share a single 240V circuit, so checking more than one won’t double-count. Induction cooktop Double wall oven Warming drawer Built-in / undercounter wine refrigerator Beverage center or undercounter refrigerator drawer Dedicated ice maker (not the one in the fridge) A second dishwasher, in addition to the main one Site improvements present Check what’s on the lot. These are easy to miss and each one is a 15-year asset, so telling us is worth real money. If you have a survey, site plan, or appraisal, uploading it (below) lets us measure them precisely. Irrigation / sprinkler system Exterior or landscape lighting Retaining wall Storm drainage, French drain, or site grading Mailbox or other site accessories

Multifamily details A few unit-level details that materially affect the allocation. Optional — select / check what applies. Per-unit heating & cooling Ductless & packaged units (mini-splits, PTAC, window, through-wall) are removable equipment — 5-year property. Ducted systems (central or separate-per-unit) are part of the building — 27.5-year. We use the conservative treatment for ducted, mixed, or unsure. Kitchen & laundry appliances Refrigerators, ranges/ovens, dishwashers, microwaves, washers/dryers and disposals are 5-year personal property. We include them by default (they normally convey with the building) — tell us only if they don’t. Site features (check all present) Carport(s) Paved parking lot Detached structure (shed / laundry / maintenance / leasing office) Common laundry room

Car wash configuration A car wash's value is mostly equipment + site work. These details let us size the 5-year equipment accurately. Optional — enter what you know; documented equipment costs (below) always take precedence.

Tunnel length (ft)

Vacuum stalls

Pay stations / lanes

Dryers / blowers

Wash type Water reclamation / treatment system present Was wash equipment included in the purchase? Answer the “equipment included” question below — if documented, we book it as observed personal property; if not, we model it conservatively from these counts. Every car-wash study is reviewed before delivery during our calibration phase.

Gas station / fuel configuration A fuel site's value is mostly fuel equipment, tanks, and the canopy. These details let us size the short-life assets accurately. Optional, enter what you know; documented equipment or tank values (below) always take precedence.

Fuel dispensers (MPDs)

Fueling positions

Underground tanks

Canopy size (sq ft)

LED price signs

EV chargers (Level 2)

DC fast chargers

Attached car wash Convenience store on site Quick-serve / foodservice (QSR) Solar canopy / array Building is small-format / mostly fuel sales (may qualify for special 15-year treatment) We'll confirm eligibility with your CPA. This is not a tax determination.

Documented fuel equipment value ($) (optional) If you have a detailed equipment appraisal/allocation that supersedes counts.

Documented tank-system value ($) (optional) Documented tank-system value (e.g. from an environmental report).

Was fuel or store equipment included in the purchase? If documented, we book it as observed personal property; if not, we model it conservatively from these counts. Every gas-station study is reviewed before delivery during our calibration phase.

Mixed-use details A mixed-use building blends a commercial ground floor with residential above — these let us model each portion correctly. Optional; enter what you know. Ground-floor use

Commercial SF (ground floor)

Residential SF (upper floors)

# Residential units

Documented buildout / TI cost ($)

Tenant-improvement buildout was included & is documented A documented commercial buildout reclassifies a conservative share to short-life property. Without documentation we model the building only, conservatively.

Is this property 100% rental or business use?

Personal-use square footage The area you use personally and do not rent, out of your total square footage above. We depreciate only the rental-use portion.

ADU size — square feet The ADU's size, out of your total square footage above. Your study and price reflect only the ADU portion — not the whole property.

ADU bedrooms

ADU bathrooms

ADU has a kitchen or kitchenette ADU has a separate entrance

Separate systems or meters, if known

HVAC Electrical Plumbing

Built or converted the ADU separately (no whole-property purchase price)? Email support@costsegsmart.com for a quick quote.

Outdoor amenities (check all present) Check anything on the property — these often qualify for accelerated (5- or 15-year) treatment. Hot tub / spa

Is it built-in or portable? (Built-in / in-ground spas are treated differently from portable ones.) Built-in / in-ground Portable / above-ground Not sure

Fire pit / outdoor fireplace Pergola / gazebo Outdoor kitchen Built-in grill

Has your tax professional determined how the building should be depreciated? Short-term rentals can be treated as residential (27.5-year) or nonresidential (39-year) buildings depending on how they're operated. Your CPA makes this call — tell us if they already have. If you're not sure, pick "Not determined yet" and we'll flag it for your CPA in the report. Residential — 27.5-year (per my tax professional) Nonresidential — 39-year (per my tax professional) Not determined yet

Upgrades & renovations (optional)

Add each big project with the year it was finished — new roof, kitchen remodel, pool, addition. If it was done before you started renting the property out, we add its cost to what we analyze (usually a bigger first-year deduction). If it came after, we track it separately with its own start date. We work all of that out from the dates — nothing for you to classify. You can also add these after checkout.

I made major upgrades or renovations to this property

Improvement

Type

Cost

Year

Qualified improvement property (§168(e)(6)) Interior work you had done to a nonresidential building that was already in service can be 15-year property instead of 39-year, which usually means a much bigger first-year deduction. It applies even if you did the work before you started renting, as long as the building itself was already in use by someone. “No” and “Not sure” are real answers. An item you are unsure about will be held and asked, not assumed.

The building is nonresidential (39-year) property.

Yes No Not sure

The work was inside the existing building — no enlargement, no elevator or escalator, and nothing structural.

Yes No Not sure

The building was already in service — by anyone, including a previous owner — before this work began.

Yes No Not sure

Year the building was first placed in service (by anyone)

Month, if the same year as the work

I had this work done. Work a previous owner did, which came with the building, is not included.

Yes No Not sure

You own these improvements and will depreciate them. They are not a tenant’s property and not a landlord allowance written off over the lease.

Yes No Not sure

I certify these answers are correct. Answer every question Yes or No before you certify. While anything is “Not sure” the box stays off — we would rather ask you than record a claim you did not make.

Have any invoices or receipts? Upload them (optional)

Optional, but worth it. Upload any invoices or receipts you have — renovations, appliances, flooring, equipment, or site work. No need to sort, label, or format anything; just drop them in. Documented actual costs are the strongest cost-seg evidence (stronger than our estimates), so they can increase your deduction and harden the study for audit. You can also add them after checkout.

Skip for now Upload files Type items manually

Were these costs already part of the purchase price you entered? This is about where the cost sits, not when you paid: something bought separately can still have been in service on day one. If you're unsure, leave it — we'll ask before the study is finalized.

Click or drag a file here

Drop in anything — a single invoice, a contractor breakdown, or a spreadsheet of what the work cost. A phone photo of a receipt is fine. Excel, CSV, PDF, or images. Prefer a template? Download the Excel template (just describe each item and its cost — we sort out the tax categories)or the CSV.

Documents (optional)

Your settlement statement, floor plans, construction documents, or a property inspection report — if you have them. Optional; we complete your study from your intake details and public records either way.

Settlement statement, floor plans & inspection report (optional)

Click or drag documents here

Before you check out

Last questions, answered.

What exactly do I get?

A 40+ page cost segregation report your CPA can use immediately. Includes:

Asset reclassification (5, 7, 15-year property)
Depreciation schedules
Detailed supporting documentation aligned with IRS guidance

This is the same type of report traditional firms deliver — just faster.

What documents help the study most?

All optional — but if you have them, these add the most detail, roughly in order:

Settlement statement — your Closing Disclosure, ALTA settlement statement, or HUD-1: the one-to-two page money summary from the title company. It confirms the closing date that sets your bonus-depreciation year, and the title, escrow, survey and recording charges on it are added to your depreciable basis.
Property photos — exterior, interior, kitchen, bathrooms, mechanicals.
Property inspection report — catches site improvements (pool, hardscape, roof, exterior systems) and condition.
Floor plans or construction documents — verify square footage and interior components.
FF&E inventory (furnished / short-term rentals) — reclassifies furniture & equipment as 5-year property.

None of these are required — we complete your study from your intake details and public records, and cross-verify price, square footage and land against county assessor and ATTOM records. The settlement statement helps most: a documented land figure and closing date beat our modeled ones, and on new construction that usually moves in your favor. Upload anything you have, or send it after checkout — we update the report at no extra cost.

How accurate is this if I haven’t added everything yet?

You’ll get a complete report immediately, and you can:

Upload photos
Add details
Refine inputs

after checkout. We’ll update the report at no extra cost.

Most customers improve their results by adding details after.

Will my CPA actually accept this?

Yes — the report is structured to match IRS guidance and standard depreciation rules. Cost segregation follows MACRS classification rules and IRS frameworks like Revenue Procedure 87-56, which defines asset lives and depreciation treatment.

If your CPA has questions, we’ll revise or clarify anything needed. View a sample report →

What if my CPA doesn’t use it?

If your CPA can’t use the report, we’ll make it right. No one should pay for something they can’t use — that’s the CPA-Ready Guarantee.

How long does this take?

Most reports are delivered in under 1 hour. Traditional firms typically take 4–8 weeks.

Is this actually legit?

Yes. Cost segregation is a widely used tax strategy that accelerates depreciation under IRS rules, moving assets into shorter recovery periods like 5, 7, and 15 years instead of 27.5 or 39 years.

This isn’t a loophole — it’s a classification method. See our IRS-aligned methodology →

Can I use this on a property I already own?

Yes. This is called a lookback study. You can:

Catch up missed depreciation
Take a large one-time deduction
Without amending past returns

What happens if I get audited?

Cost segregation is an IRS-recognized practice — the IRS publishes a Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide that examiners follow. Our reports are built to align with it: detailed asset breakdowns, MACRS classification, depreciation schedules, and supporting documentation.

If you’re ever audited, we provide free supporting documentation and clarifications to help you and your CPA respond. See our audit-defense scope →

What if my CPA wants something changed?

Free revisions, no time limit. If your CPA asks for a different classification, a clarification, or additional detail, we revise the report at no additional cost.

If your CPA ultimately decides the report isn’t usable, the CPA-Ready Guarantee applies: full refund of the study fee. No deadlines, no hoops.

Does this work for a short-term rental?

Yes — STRs are one of our most common use cases. Cost seg combined with the STR loophole (material participation + a 7-day average stay) can offset W-2 income, not just passive rental income.

STR reports include furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) breakdowns and apply a higher 5- and 7-year accelerated mix consistent with how STRs are actually used. See a sample STR report →

Do I need a site visit?

No. We use property data and your inputs to produce a detailed report. You can optionally upload photos to improve accuracy.

Still on the fence? View a real report or email us.

Start your cost segregation study.

We’ll scope this with you.

Got it.

Last questions, answered.

Your Year-1 deduction: $—

Before you go...