To Declare as a "Real Estate Professional" or Not

[Avi Spielman]

Hi, I'm hoping this is the right forum for this question :) 

I'm a developer turned property owner with a growing portfolio of rental properties. 

My CPA currently does not declare me as a "Real Estate Professional" (even though I qualify) stating that there would be more complications than solutions to offset my ordinary income. Since I am new to this side of the business, I am wondering what everyone thinks about the pros (+) and cons (-) of being a "real estate professional" from a tax standpoint. 

Please also share any links, books, or podcasts that can help me make an educated decision. 

Thanks!  

[Steven J.]

No expert here but I think there are more pros than cons. Sounds like the CPA is being a bit lazy on their end and don't want to deal with the extra paper work and filing procedures. Ask around with other CPAs and see what they recommend.