{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is a ground lease and how is it taxed?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Ground leases offer San Marcos landowners a way to generate long-term passive income without selling appreciated land — avoiding capital gains tax while creating a perpetual income stream. The tax treatment is straightforward: ground lease payments are rental income, taxed at ordinary rates. The landowner retains the land (no depreciation, no capital gains trigger) and receives rent for decades. For developers, ground lease payments are deductible, and the improvements they build are depreciable. KDA’s team will structure ground lease arrangements to optimize the tax position for both parties.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How do I handle the tax implications of a short sale or foreclosure on rental property?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “A short sale or foreclosure on rental property creates two potential tax events: (1) cancellation of debt (COD) income — if the lender forgives debt exceeding the property’s value, the forgiven amount is generally taxable income; (2) gain or loss on the disposition — calculated as the difference between the debt discharged (the ‘amount realized’) and your adjusted basis. For San Marcos investors, the COD income may be excludable if you’re insolvent at the time of the foreclosure (the insolvency exclusion). KDA’s team will calculate your tax exposure from a short sale or foreclosure and identify all available exclusions.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is the QBI deduction and does it apply to rental real estate?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction under Section 199A allows eligible taxpayers to deduct up to 20% of qualified business income from pass-through entities (LLCs, S-Corps, sole proprietorships). Rental real estate can qualify for the QBI deduction if it rises to the level of a ‘trade or business’ — either through REPS qualification, the STR loophole, or meeting the IRS rental real estate safe harbor (250+ hours of rental services per year, documented in a contemporaneous log). For high-income San Marcos investors, the QBI deduction can generate $20,000–$100,000+ in additional deductions. KDA’s team will determine your eligibility.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is a cost segregation study and how does it save taxes?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “A cost segregation study is an engineering-based tax analysis that reclassifies components of your real estate from 27.5-year (residential) or 39-year (commercial) depreciation to 5-, 7-, or 15-year property. This accelerates your depreciation deductions dramatically. For example, a $500,000 rental property might have $100,000–$150,000 reclassified to shorter-lived assets, generating $100,000+ in first-year deductions when combined with 100% bonus depreciation. KDA’s San Marcos team coordinates cost segregation studies and integrates them into your overall tax strategy.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How does depreciation work for a rental property I converted from my primary residence?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Converting your primary residence to a rental triggers several tax considerations. Your depreciation basis is the lesser of your cost basis or fair market value at conversion. You lose the Section 121 exclusion ($250K/$500K) for appreciation that occurs after conversion. And if you sell within 5 years of conversion, you may still qualify for a partial Section 121 exclusion. KDA’s San Marcos real estate CPA team will model all scenarios and advise on whether conversion makes sense for your specific situation.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is the difference between a real estate CPA and a real estate tax accountant?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a meaningful distinction. A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) holds a state license requiring 150 credit hours of education, passing the CPA exam, and ongoing continuing education. A tax accountant may or may not hold a CPA license. At KDA Inc., our San Marcos team includes licensed CPAs and Enrolled Agents (EAs) — both of whom are authorized to represent clients before the IRS and specialize in real estate tax strategy.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) and how does it work in a 1031 exchange?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “For San Marcos real estate investors who want to do a 1031 exchange but don’t want to manage another active property, a DST is the ideal solution. You exchange your rental property into a fractional interest in a large institutional property — deferring all capital gains and depreciation recapture. The DST sponsor manages the property; you receive passive income distributions. DSTs are particularly popular with investors who are retiring from active management or who can’t identify a suitable replacement property within the 45-day identification window. KDA’s team will advise on DST selection and 1031 exchange compliance.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is Proposition 19 and how does it affect real estate investors in California?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Proposition 19 eliminated one of the most powerful estate planning tools for California real estate investors: the parent-child property tax exclusion for investment properties. Before Prop 19, parents could transfer rental properties to children with no reassessment — preserving low Prop 13 assessed values indefinitely. Now, only primary residences qualify for the exclusion (with a $1M cap on the value difference). For San Marcos investors with rental properties, Prop 19 makes estate planning more complex and urgent. KDA’s team works with estate planning attorneys to develop Prop 19 mitigation strategies.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How does real estate investing affect my FAFSA and financial aid eligibility?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Real estate investing and FAFSA planning require careful coordination for San Marcos families with college-bound children. The FAFSA looks back at income from the prior-prior year — meaning a large rental income year or property sale can affect aid eligibility for 2+ years. Strategic planning around income timing, property sales, and cost segregation deductions can minimize the FAFSA impact. KDA’s San Marcos real estate CPA team will model the FAFSA implications of your real estate decisions and help you optimize both tax savings and financial aid eligibility.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is the Section 121 exclusion and can I use it for investment property?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Section 121 is the primary residence exclusion — not an investment property tool. But for San Marcos investors, there is a strategic opportunity: convert an investment property to your primary residence, live there for 2+ years, and then sell with up to $500,000 in tax-free gains. The catch: depreciation recapture is not excluded (it’s taxed at 25%), and gains attributable to periods of non-qualified use (when it was a rental) are not excluded. KDA’s team will model whether a primary residence conversion makes sense for your specific property.”
}
}
]
}