First Rehab, Holding In Own Name, Tax Questions!

Hi everyone,
Boy, I wish I had found this site sooner! I need lots of help!

I have already bought a repo in my name and I am repairing it to resell. Here are the numbers:

Purchase price 29,600
Repairs which I am doing myself (this # is for all of the materials, tools, etc) approx 4,500.
The comps on this house are close to 60,000.

I realize now that I should have set up an LLC or s-corp, but since I didn't, what is the best way to handle the taxes? I will not have the house for more than a few months.
I work full time and gross around 90,000/yr and this is only a part time venture. My wife does not work outside of the home, so she could call this her full time position if need be.
Do I pay her, or myself wages?
Do I have to pay SE tax and capital gains tax?
Is there anything that cannot be added to the base price of the house?

If I am planning on buying another repo on down the road but do not have one picked out yet, can I still do the 1031? How long do you have to get the next home?
I am in the market for a good accountant, but haven't found the person I am looking for. I am hoping to have at least a basic knowledge of how I should be filing and paying this tax season so that I am not shocked!

I really appreciate any and all help I can get!!

Thanks,
Eugene
confused

Comments(6)

  • joefromphilly18th November, 2003

    If you are already making $90,000 from your regular job, you will not pay SE tax on the profits, just the Medicare portion (2.7% or so). Since you are not keeping the house for more than a year, you would not benefit from the long-term capital gains tax rate, so your profits would be taxed as ordinary income regardless of your business structure. If you go full time with rehabs, then set up an S Corp and pay yourself a salary of around $35,000. On this you will pay the equvalent of the full SE tax, but then all the other profits would be taxed as dividends, not subject to the SE tax.

  • gene_n_shan18th November, 2003

    Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it!

  • myfrogger18th November, 2003

    Although you still have exposed liability risk, with your high earned income (over $87,000 for 2003 tax return), you don't have to worry about the high self employment tax so much. You will still pay 2.9% however, which is better than 15.3%!

  • 64Ford18th November, 2003

    Here's a link to a great 1031 website:

    http://www.ipx1031.com/index.html

    Another option is to start a Roth IRA, and let the IRA purchase/rehab your properties. A link to Equity Trust which allows self-directed IRA's is:

    http://www.trustetc.com/links/realestate.html

  • DaveT18th November, 2003

    [/quote]64Ford,

    The Unrelated Business Income Taxes due from the business activity within the IRA may be a lot higher that the ordinary income taxes you might ordinarily have to pay by conducting this business from within a taxable business entity.

    I would be curious to know if the IRA custodian will even permit this activity within the IRA.

  • gene_n_shan19th November, 2003

    Thanks for all of the suggestions!

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