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Purchased Raw Land - Tax Benefits?

Posted on 2/3/23 at 8:39 pm
Posted by GAFF
Georgia
Member since Aug 2010
2710 posts
Posted on 2/3/23 at 8:39 pm
I'm getting mixed details on if I can claim raw land I purchased last year. The land will eventually be where I build my home but for now it's just land. I did install a well, run power, and have a driveway cut in. From my understanding I can claim the property tax but what about the interest from the mortgage? Anything from the improvements? It's 26 acres and I've thought about harvesting some of the pines in the future but still not sure on that. Some say because it's not an investment property I can't claim anything. Others say that I can only claim depreciation. Just seeing what's the best path here if any.
Posted by brightside878
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2009
1638 posts
Posted on 2/3/23 at 8:55 pm to
Set it up as an LLC with a bank account. You can write off anything your imagination leads you to.

When you sell that little bit of timber, and lose money.. you at least tried.

Posted by CHGAR
Haile, LA
Member since Aug 2022
1253 posts
Posted on 2/3/23 at 9:20 pm to
Anybody who tells you that land can be depreciated is clueless.
Posted by turkish
Member since Aug 2016
2274 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 7:45 am to
Hire a CPA and then be a gem and report back what they tell you.

From the research I’ve done there’s not much at all you can do, tax shelter wise. On 20 acres, I doubt you can even ever get a timber crew in there.
This post was edited on 2/4/23 at 7:46 am
Posted by GEAUXT
Member since Nov 2007
30416 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 7:52 am to
quote:

From the research I’ve done there’s not much at all you can do, tax shelter wise. On 20 acres, I doubt you can even ever get a timber crew in there.


This is the correct answer
Posted by Warfarer
Dothan, AL
Member since May 2010
12350 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 7:52 am to
I’ve never seen a bank that will put an actual mortgage on land. Is it just a loan or is it an actual mortgage that you have?

When I looked into purchasing land and building under one construction loan, the banks I talked to told me I had to take a separate loan for the land, construction loan for the build and then I could mortgage everything together or they told me that I had to completely pay the land first.
Posted by GAFF
Georgia
Member since Aug 2010
2710 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 12:58 pm to
quote:

I’ve never seen a bank that will put an actual mortgage on land. Is it just a loan or is it an actual mortgage that you have?


It's a land loan but they sent me a 1098 so that's what started driving my curiosity.

quote:

Anybody who tells you that land can be depreciated is clueless


They were speaking on the improvements on the land. Not actually depreciating the land itself.
This post was edited on 2/4/23 at 12:59 pm
Posted by LSUcam7
FL
Member since Sep 2016
8854 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 1:03 pm to
Land loans do exist. These are different from construction loans.

Curious, OP. What was your quoted rate on the land loan? When did you sign for the loan?
Posted by GAFF
Georgia
Member since Aug 2010
2710 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 1:33 pm to
quote:

Curious, OP. What was your quoted rate on the land loan? When did you sign for the loan?


Rate was 6.25%. Got the loan in January of last year.
Posted by LSUcam7
FL
Member since Sep 2016
8854 posts
Posted on 2/4/23 at 4:51 pm to
Solid for land loan. Heck… 30Yr fixed rates were higher just a couple months ago.
Posted by LSUFanHouston
NOLA
Member since Jul 2009
40255 posts
Posted on 2/5/23 at 10:12 pm to
So you are kind of in a no-man's land here.

You can deduct the interest on a first and second home - to the extent total debt doesn't exceed the limits - but this is land, not a home.

You can deduct the interest on investment land - to the extent you have ordinary investment income - but this sound like it's not land held for investment... it's land held for future personal use.

So this ends up similar to personal debt interest.

Banks issue a 1098 generally whenver the debt is backed by real property.
Posted by Screaming Viking
Member since Jul 2013
5612 posts
Posted on 2/6/23 at 11:07 am to
quote:

So you are kind of in a no-man's land here.


anyone know about having land established as a "farm"? In LA.
Trees? Bees/Honey? Does it have to be animals? If so how many?

And what are the actual benefits?

TIA
Posted by lsu13lsu
Member since Jan 2008
11767 posts
Posted on 2/6/23 at 11:35 am to
Need to actually make money three out of five years or it is a hobby.
Posted by McMahonnequin
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2022
542 posts
Posted on 2/6/23 at 12:00 pm to
quote:

Anybody who tells you that land can be depreciated is clueless


Yea don't listen to whoever told you that. That's basically accounting 101
Posted by boogiewoogie1978
Little Rock
Member since Aug 2012
19428 posts
Posted on 2/6/23 at 3:40 pm to
quote:

Purchased Raw Land - Tax Benefits?

quote:

The land will eventually be where I build my home but for now it's just land.

Put a tent up and call it a temporary church.
Posted by el Gaucho
He/They
Member since Dec 2010
58519 posts
Posted on 2/6/23 at 4:37 pm to
The benefit is you get to pay property taxes on it now
Posted by Y.A. Tittle
Member since Sep 2003
109738 posts
Posted on 2/6/23 at 5:09 pm to
quote:

The benefit is you get to pay property taxes on it now


He says he can "claim" those.

I don't understand what that means if it's just an empty piece of land for which he's doing nothing right now.
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