Make Sure You Claim All Depreciation on Your Commercial Real Estate
If you’re thinking about buying commercial real estate in Melbourne, you need to prepare yourself. Many people fail to claim the commercial tax deductions in Australia that are due to them. This results in thousands of lost dollars.
You can claim for all sorts of things on your commercial real estate property. For example, you can claim deductions for the wear and tear of your fittings, furniture, and the structure itself. In fact, making the right deductions at the right time can affect cash flow. You can change a negatively geared property into one that enjoys a good cash flow.
So now you’re probably wondering how to maximise depreciation on your commercial investment property in Australia. Our guide will show you how.
Get the Ownership Structure Right
How you buy your commercial property is just as important as the type of property you buy. You need to have the right structure in place if you’re going to claim the maximum depreciation.
For example, you can increase your deductions if you buy the property using a trust. The same is true if you buy with your self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF). In both cases, you can split your deductions. You can make claims on the building as a standalone entity. Furthermore, you can also claim on any tenancy assets. However, you must operate a business in the property to do this. 
Furthermore, you can claim for any capital works you undertake during your ownership. These can include extensions and many other general improvements. Finally, if you occupy the building as a business owner, you can also claim depreciation for any fixtures or fittings. Again, you must use these as part of your business operations.
Maintain Your Records
It should go without saying that it’s vital that you maintain accurate records if you want to claim commercial tax deductions in Australia. However, a remarkable number of people don’t do this.
Document every expenditure that relates to the building. These include both the immediate and ongoing costs. Furthermore, you should add day-to-day expenditure to the list. Keep anything that relates to a financial transaction involving your building. These records can help you to claim more.
Use a Quantity Surveyor
Every commercial property investor should employ the services of a quantity surveyor. These professionals can help you to create depreciation schedules. A good schedule ensures you can claim as much as possible on your property.
A quantity surveyor will carry out regular inspections of your property. These help to determine what deductions you can make each year. They’re ideal for long-term planning as well. A good depreciation schedule will lay out how to claim deductions for the next 40 years.
Furthermore, quantity surveyors understand how to maximise your depreciation based on your timeline. You may only intend to invest in the property for a short period of time. That’s okay. A good surveyor will take this into account, just like they would for a long-term investment.
It’s likely your surveyor will recommend the diminishing value method if you’re a short-term investor. This assumes the value of your assets depreciates most during their early years. As a result, you can claim for more depreciation in the short-term.
Long-term investors may prefer the prime cost method. This assumes uniform depreciation over the lifetime of your assets. As a result, you claim the same amount each year, rather than the bulk in the early years.
Which method works best for you will depend on the time commitment you make to your commercial real estate investment. A good quantity surveyor can talk you through the different timelines.
Take Advantage of the First Year
Your first year of ownership is vital. It’s when you will set up the structure through which you will manage your commercial property for the years that follow. Getting things wrong during the first year makes things more difficult than they need to be later on.
However, you also need to take depreciation into account from the moment you invest in the property. This is where your quantity surveyor can help again. You may be able to depreciate some of your assets faster with a commercial property than you would a residential one. Your surveyor will point this out to you. As a result, you can make more upfront savings using depreciation, which means you have more cash to use during that difficult first year.
The Final Word
Maximising your depreciation from a commercial property isn’t easy, but you can do it. Use the services of a reputable quantity surveyor and don’t put anything off.
Remember that you can make claims for depreciation from the moment you invest in the property. Don’t lose money because you were slow on the uptake.
About Tyron Hyde
Tyron Hyde is the CEO of Washington Brown Quantity Surveyors. He is regarded as one of the industry's leading experts in property tax depreciation, is regularly quoted in the media & asked to speak at conferences.
Learn why more Property Investors Choose Washington Brown to prepare their depreciation reports.