
Depreciating a fence on rental property can be a great way to save on taxes. The IRS allows you to depreciate the cost of a fence over its useful life, which is typically 27.5 years for residential property.
You can claim a portion of the fence's cost as a depreciation expense each year, which can help reduce your taxable income. This can lead to significant tax savings over time.
The amount you can depreciate each year is determined by the fence's cost and its useful life. For example, if your fence costs $10,000 and has a useful life of 27.5 years, you can depreciate $363 per year.
Tax Benefits
You can depreciate your fence on a rental property over time, which can help reduce your taxable income.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act allows for 100% bonus depreciation on qualified property placed in service after 2018, including used property.
Landscaping improvements, such as fences, can be depreciated over time.

This means you can deduct the cost of your fence from your taxable income, reducing your tax liability.
The bonus depreciation percentage will decrease to 80% in 2023 and will continue to decrease by 20% every year until it reaches 20% in 2026.
You can also depreciate the cost of maintaining your fence, such as painting and oil finishing, over time.
By depreciating your fence, you can reduce your taxable income and lower your tax liability.
The IRS allows you to deduct actual expenses or use the standard mileage rate, which is 58.5 cents per mile in 2022, for business-related expenses, including fence maintenance.
Depreciation and Deductions
Depreciation is a key aspect of owning a rental property, and it's essential to understand how it works, especially when it comes to fencing.
Fences are a significant investment, and their lifespan can be extended through good maintenance practices.
Painting your fence can be expensive, but it's a great way to protect the timber and extend its life. However, painting can be costly, so it's essential to consider the cost-benefit.

Planting a hedge, shade trees, or a climber can reduce the sunlight and UV damage to the timber, extending the life of the fence and reducing yearly maintenance costs.
Landscaping improvements, such as fences, can be depreciated over time.
As a property owner, you can claim deductions for various expenses related to fence maintenance.
Some common expenses that can be claimed include paint supply, painter's labour, consumables, repairs to the fence, and dumping fees/rubbish removal of damaged fence.
Here are some specific expenses that can be claimed as deductions:
- Paint supply
- Painter’s labour
- Consumables
- Repairs to the fence
- Dumping fees/rubbish removal of damaged fence
By understanding depreciation and deductions, you can make the most of your rental property investment and minimize your expenses.
Landscaping Improvements
Landscaping improvements can be depreciated over time, which can benefit rental property owners. Fences, for example, can be depreciated over their useful life, which is typically 40 years, but can be self-assessed by a Quantity Surveyor in certain circumstances.
Good maintenance practice is essential for extending the life of fences, which can be expensive to replace. Timber fences, in particular, can benefit from regular painting and keeping the posts' foundations dry.

Planting a hedge, shade trees, or a climber to grow on the fence can reduce direct sunlight and UV damage, extending the life of the fence and reducing yearly maintenance costs.
Land improvements, such as fencing, can be depreciated with bonus depreciation, which can be a significant tax benefit. Some examples of land improvements that allow for bonus depreciation include excavating, grading, landscaping, and installing swimming pools and sprinkler systems.
Here are some examples of land improvements that can be depreciated with bonus depreciation:
- Excavating
- Grading
- Landscaping
- Fences
- Swimming Pools
- Sprinkler Systems
Ways to Save
Saving on a rental property can be a challenge, but there are ways to do it.
One way to save is by not replacing the fence every 10 to 15 years, as it can depreciate significantly over time.
A fence can cost between $3,000 to $10,000 to replace, depending on the material and size.
You can also save by not installing a fence in the first place, if you're not planning to rent the property long-term.

Research shows that renters are often willing to pay a premium for properties with existing fences, which can offset the initial installation cost.
By choosing a durable fence material like vinyl or aluminum, you can extend its lifespan and reduce replacement costs.
In fact, a vinyl fence can last up to 30 years or more with proper maintenance.
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