Deductible rental expenses are the ordinary and necessary (the normal, reasonable costs of running the rental) costs of operating a rental property that you can subtract from rental income when figuring your net rental result on Schedule E. Deducting legitimate expenses is how landlords are taxed on their actual profit rather than on gross rent.
This is educational — it is not tax advice. Confirm specifics with a qualified tax professional and see IRS Publication 527 (Residential Rental Property).
Rental income is reduced by allowable operating expenses. The IRS recognizes many common categories of deductible rental expense, including:
Other operating costs such as certain professional fees, cleaning, supplies, and travel related to the rental can also be deductible under the rules described in Publication 527.
Two distinctions matter most.
Repairs vs. improvements. A repair keeps the property in its normal working condition and is generally deducted in the year you incur it. A capital improvement — a betterment, restoration, or adaptation to a new use — is not deducted all at once; it is capitalized (spread over several years rather than deducted all at once) and depreciated. This distinction changes the timing of your deduction significantly, so it is worth getting right.
Owner-paid vs. tenant-paid. You deduct only what you actually pay. If a tenant pays a utility directly, it is not your deduction.
Keep the receipt or invoice behind every expense and categorize costs as you go — the same records feed both your rental ledger and Schedule E.
Landlords deduct the ordinary, necessary costs of running the rental — interest, taxes, insurance, repairs, management, owner-paid utilities, advertising, and depreciation — against rental income. Getting the repair-vs-improvement call right and keeping documentation are what keep those deductions clean.
Educational only — confirm specifics with a tax professional and see IRS Publication 527 and Schedule E.