How much rental income (loss) is included in Barkley’s adjusted gross income?

Barkley owns a vacation cabin that was rented to unrelated parties for 10 days during the year for $2,500. The cabin was used personally by Barkley for three months and left vacant for the rest of the year.

Expenses for the cabin were as follows:

Real estate taxes $1,000

Maintenance and utilities $2,000

How much rental income (loss) is included in Barkley’s adjusted gross income?
A . $0
B. $500
C. $(500)
D. $(1,500)

View Answer

Answer: A

Explanation:

RULE: If a vacation residence is rented for less than 15 days per year, it is treated as a personal residence. The rental income is excluded from income, and mortgage interest (first or second home) and real estate taxes are allowed as itemized deductions. Depreciation, utilities, and repairs are not deductible.

Choice "a" is correct. Applying the rule above, if a vacation residence is rented for less than 15 days per year, it is treated as a personal residence. The rental income ($2,500 in this case) is excluded from income. A Schedule E is not filed for this property (i.e., no income is reported, the taxes are reported as itemized deductions, and the maintenance and utilities are not deductible), so the effect on AGI is zero.

Choice "b" is incorrect. This assumes that the property taxes are reported as itemized deductions but that the rental income ($2,500) less the maintenance and utilities ($2,000) are reported net on Schedule E.

Per the above RULE, the rental income is excluded from income, and the maintenance and utilities are not deductible.

Choice "c" is incorrect. This assumes that all of the items shown are reported net on the Schedule E-$2,500 – $1,000 – $2,000 = ($500). Per the above RULE, the rental income is excluded from income, the maintenance and utilities are not deductible, and the property taxes are reported on Schedule A as an itemized deduction.

Choice "d" is incorrect, per the above rule and discussion.