Claiming Depreciation for the past 5 Years of ownership.

[Gabriel Medina]

Hello All, 

 Please excuse my ignorance but here my situation. I've owned a duplex for 5 years but have only recently started learning about what it means to be a real estate investor. In years past I have filed my own taxes via turbotax. This year I sought out a local CPA. I asked about claiming depreciation for the 4 years prior to 2018. She hesitated and um'd a few times before saying "sure we can do that". My question is how can I check her work? Where on my tax form will it show that I am trying to claim past years depreciation?

Thank You

Gabe

[Michael Plaks]

@Gabriel Medina

@Yonah Weiss is correct - Form 3115 is required. (You may NOT amend the past returns, by the way.)

That form is tricky and requires knowing how to do it. The hesitant CPA may have revealed that she is not the one for the job.

The result will not be on the depreciation line, though. The 481a adjustment should be a separate line.