Airbnb sends a Form 1099-K if you receive more than $600 in payments (2026 threshold). Your income is reported on Schedule E for most STRs, with all allowable deductions netting against gross rental income. If your property qualifies for the STR loophole (average stay ≤7 days, material participation), net losses can offset your other income. KDA’s Chino team will ensure your Airbnb income is reported correctly, all deductions are captured, and your STR loophole eligibility is documented.

California’s ‘source income’ rules mean that owning rental property in Chino creates a California tax filing obligation regardless of your state of residence. If you live in Arizona and own a rental property in Los Angeles, you owe California income tax on the rental income and capital gains from that property. The good news: you’ll receive a credit in your home state for taxes paid to California, reducing (but not eliminating) double taxation. KDA’s team handles multi-state real estate tax returns and ensures optimal credit allocation.

Short-term rentals can qualify for 1031 exchanges, but the IRS applies additional scrutiny. Revenue Procedure 2008-16 provides a safe harbor: hold the property for 24 months, rent it at fair market value for at least 14 days in each 12-month period, and limit personal use to 14 days or 10% of rental days. If your Chino STR meets these criteria, you can exchange it for any like-kind investment property — including a long-term rental, commercial property, or another STR. KDA will verify your eligibility and structure the exchange correctly.

The savings depend on your property value, type, and your tax bracket. As a rule of thumb, cost segregation typically reclassifies 20–30% of a residential property’s value and 30–40% of a commercial property’s value to shorter-lived assets. On a $500,000 rental in Chino, that’s $100,000–$150,000 in accelerated deductions. At a 37% combined federal and state tax rate, that’s $37,000–$55,000 in tax savings in year one alone. KDA offers a free cost segregation feasibility analysis for Chino investors.

Think of a real estate CPA not as a cost but as an investment with a measurable ROI. KDA clients in Chino typically save $10,000–$50,000+ in taxes annually through strategies like cost segregation, bonus depreciation, and REPS election — savings that far exceed our fees. Schedule a free consultation and we’ll show you exactly what your portfolio can save.

REPS qualification requires meeting two tests: the 750-hour test (you must spend more than 750 hours in real property trades or businesses) and the majority-time test (real property activities must represent more than 50% of your total personal services). For a W-2 employee working 2,000 hours per year, the majority-time test is nearly impossible to meet — which is why the STR loophole is often more practical for employed investors. For full-time real estate investors, REPS is the gold standard. KDA’s Chino team will determine which path — REPS or STR loophole — is right for your situation.

For Chino W-2 employees who invest in real estate, the passive activity rules are the primary obstacle to tax savings. Rental losses are trapped in the passive bucket and can’t offset your salary. The two most effective solutions: (1) the STR loophole — short-term rentals with average stays of 7 days or less, where you materially participate, are non-passive; losses offset W-2 income directly; (2) REPS qualification by a spouse who works 750+ hours in real estate. KDA’s team will determine which strategy is feasible for your situation and design the implementation plan.

Opportunity Zones and 1031 exchanges serve different purposes. A 1031 exchange defers both capital gains AND depreciation recapture by reinvesting in like-kind real estate. A QOZ investment defers only capital gains (not recapture) but can eliminate tax on future appreciation entirely after 10 years. QOZ investments also accept gains from stock sales, business sales, and other assets — not just real estate. KDA’s Chino real estate CPA team will model both strategies and recommend the optimal approach for your exit.

Multi-property LLC structuring is as much a legal question as a tax question. From a tax perspective, the structure should preserve your ability to do 1031 exchanges, maintain the stepped-up basis benefit, and not create unnecessary self-employment tax. From a liability perspective, isolation between properties is key. KDA’s Chino team will coordinate with your real estate attorney to design a structure that achieves both goals — and we’ll ensure the tax reporting is set up correctly from day one.

A real estate option gives the buyer the right (but not the obligation) to purchase property at a set price within a specified period. Tax treatment for the option buyer: the option premium paid is not immediately deductible — it becomes part of the property’s basis if the option is exercised, or a capital loss if the option expires. Tax treatment for the option seller: the premium received is not immediately taxable — it’s recognized as income when the option is exercised (as part of the sale proceeds) or when it expires (as ordinary income or capital gain depending on the seller’s status). KDA’s Chino team will structure real estate option transactions for optimal tax treatment.