Allocating Indirect Expense Deductions Btwn Multiple Properties

[Mason Kimball]

Question for all the tax accountants more experienced in real estate tax than myself.

I just read Amanda Han and Matt MacFarland's book on tax strategies. Even as a hopefully soon to be CPA myself (just waiting for my application to be processed with all the COVID related issues), I was surprised how many great strategies they mentioned that I have never thought about.

They also mentioned some indirect expenses that we have deducted for clients in the past on Schedule C, but would not of thought to deduct in a passive activity, like mileage to REIA meetings, cost of educational books/courses, and travel to real estate conferences.

If you were an individual taxpayer that reported your rental income from multiple properties on Schedule E, how would you allocate these possibly deductible indirect expenses among your rental properties? Would you just allocate the indirect expense equally across all of your rental properties? Does anyone know of any IRC sections, publications, instructions, etc that discusses this?

Thanks in advance for all your input and expertise!

Mason