Accounting · Property
The tax side of owning property
Negative gearing, depreciation, CGT and the main residence exemption, land tax, and the ownership structures that decide the outcome.
as at 15 November 2026
General information only. Tax outcomes depend on your individual circumstances and current law — speak to a registered tax agent before acting. GBS Accountants & Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN 21 602 221 830, Registered Tax Agent 26377003) is a separate business within the group.
Part of the IR Property Group one-roof team
Separate businesses. One roof. One plan.
Structure first, deductions second
Most property tax conversations start with deductions and end with a structure problem. Who owns the property determines who pays tax on the rent, who can use a loss, who pays CGT on sale, and how much land tax applies.
Ownership options — personal, trust, company or a combination — have different flexibility, different costs and different lending implications. A decision made for this purchase will shape the next one.
Where property is bought through the group, this is the page that shows what the one roof is for: the structure is decided before the contract, using the same numbers the lender is assessing.
Decided before signing
- Who owns it, and in what proportion
- How a loss will be used
- Depreciation and the construction date
- What happens on the eventual sale
The four tax items owners meet
Personal versus trust ownership
A simplified comparison. The right answer depends on your income, your other assets and your plans.
| In your own name | In a trust | |
|---|---|---|
| Negative gearing | Offsets your own income | Offsets trust income; losses may be trapped |
| Flexibility | Limited to who you are | Distributions can vary by year |
| Land tax | Aggregated with your holdings | Trust surcharge may apply in Victoria |
| CGT | 50% individual discount (if eligible) | Discount flows to beneficiaries |
| Cost | Lowest setup cost | Annual administration and compliance |
What to bring to a property tax review
- Contracts of sale for each property
- Loan statements and interest summaries
- Rental statements for the year
- Depreciation schedules, if any
- Land tax assessments
- Trust deeds or company records
- Any planned sale or renovation
as at 15 November 2026
General information only. Tax outcomes depend on your individual circumstances and current law — speak to a registered tax agent before acting. GBS Accountants & Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN 21 602 221 830, Registered Tax Agent 26377003) is a separate business within the group.
How a referral between businesses works
When the right next step sits with another business in the group, we ask you first. You decide whether the introduction happens.
- Client consent first — nothing about you is shared with another business without your agreement.
- Each business advises only within its own licence. IR Property does not give tax or credit advice, GBS advises on tax and accounting only, and Next Step Financing provides credit assistance only.
- Any referral fee, commission or benefit paid between businesses in the group is disclosed to you before you engage.
Common questions
Start with a conversation
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Tell us what you're trying to do and we'll tell you plainly whether property, accounting, finance — or all three — is the right starting point.
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