10 Best Tax Software for Real Estate Agents in 2026, Compared
Compare the 10 best tax software for real estate agents on price, Schedule C filing, mileage tracking and estimates, with prices checked November 10, 2026.
Shamim Mia, Founder, SerpAstraLast verified November 10, 202614 min readWe compare pricing pages, documentation and public reviews. We never accept payment for rankings.
Key takeaways
- TurboTax Premium is the best guidance at $139 per federal return, FreeTaxUSA is the best value at $0 federal plus $15.99 per state, and Keeper is the best year-round option at $199 a year with filing included.
- The single most important buying factor is whether you need filing only or year-round tracking: filing tools charge once per return, while tracking tools charge every month, and most agents need both.
- State returns are the hidden second bill: $15.99 per state at FreeTaxUSA, $47.99 at TaxSlayer, $49 at H&R Block and $64.99 at TaxAct.
- Every price below was checked on November 10, 2026. Tax software reprices through the season, so the figure at filing time can differ from the figure shown here.
On this page
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTax | Real estate agents with a complex return who want the most thorough guided Schedule C filing | $139/return | No (Free Edition only) |
| FreeTaxUSA | Confident agents who want free federal filing for any return complexity | Free; state $15.99 | Yes (federal free) |
| H&R Block | Agents who want a cheaper guided filing plus the option of walking into a local office | $130/return | Yes (simple returns) |
| TaxAct | Budget-conscious agents who want a mainstream guided filing product | $109.99/return | Yes (simple returns) |
| TaxSlayer | Agents who want the cheapest major-brand filing that still includes access to a tax professional | $74.99/return | Yes (Simply Free) |
| Keeper | Agents who want year-round deduction tracking that ends in a filed return reviewed by a tax professional | $199/yr | No (14-day trial) |
| QuickBooks Solopreneur | Solo agents who want one Intuit account for income, expenses, mileage and quarterly estimates | $20/mo | Yes (Free plan) |
| Hurdlr | Agents who drive a lot and want automatic mileage tracking with real-time tax estimates | $9.99/mo | Yes (free plan) |
| FreshBooks | Agents who invoice clients for services and want clean tax-time reports | $23/mo | No (30-day trial) |
| Xero | Agents with an accountant who want full double-entry books and unlimited users | $27/mo | No (30-day trial) |
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Request a listingThe best tax software for real estate agents
TurboTax
Best for: Real estate agents with a complex return who want the most thorough guided Schedule C filing
TurboTax is the most thorough guided filing experience for a real estate agent, and the Premium tier is the one that covers Schedule C, 1099 income and rental property. The interview asks about commission income, mileage, home-office expenses and marketing costs in plain language, then walks through each deduction category so nothing obvious is missed. It also imports 1099s and W-2s, and the year-round tax estimator helps with quarterly payments after filing.
The price is the highest here: $139 for the federal return, with the state return charged separately and the amount set at checkout. Expert help costs extra, from on-demand answers to a full-service return prepared by a tax professional. Choose TurboTax when the return is complex — multiple income streams, a rental, or a first year as an agent — and the guided interview is worth paying for.
What we like
- Most thorough guided interview for Schedule C, 1099 income and rental property
- Imports 1099s and W-2s, and a year-round tax estimator helps with quarterly payments
- Premium covers self-employment, investments and rental income in one tier
Watch out for
- Highest federal filing price here at $139, with the state return charged separately
- Expert help costs extra, from on-demand answers to full-service preparation
- The state filing fee is set at checkout rather than printed on the pricing page
FreeTaxUSA
Best for: Confident agents who want free federal filing for any return complexity
FreeTaxUSA is the cheapest legitimate way for a real estate agent to file, and the deal is almost suspiciously simple: federal filing is free for everyone, covering every form and schedule, with no premium tier to upsell into. Schedule C, rental income, investments, itemized deductions and the home-office deduction are all included at $0 federal. State returns cost $15.99 each, roughly a quarter of what TurboTax charges per state.
The trade-off is guidance. There is no step-by-step interview as thorough as TurboTax, so the filer does more of the thinking, and live chat with a tax specialist costs $7.99 extra with the Deluxe upgrade. The interface looks dated, which can put off first-time filers. Pick FreeTaxUSA when the agent knows the return and wants the filing to cost as little as possible.
What we like
- Federal filing is free for every tax situation, including Schedule C and rental income
- Cheapest state return here at $15.99 per state
- No paid tier to climb into — the same free federal product covers every form
Watch out for
- No guided interview as thorough as TurboTax, so the filer does more of the thinking
- Live chat with a tax specialist costs $7.99 extra with the Deluxe upgrade
- The interface looks dated next to the big brands, which can put off first-time filers
H&R Block
Best for: Agents who want a cheaper guided filing plus the option of walking into a local office
H&R Block is the middle ground between TurboTax and the budget filers: guided online filing with a human safety net. Self-Employed costs $130 for the federal return and covers Schedule C, 1099 income and business deductions, with AI Tax Assist and unlimited live tax-pro support included on paid online tiers. If the return goes sideways, there are thousands of offices to walk into for help.
The price is the second-highest here, and the state fee adds up: $49 per state, so a two-state agent pays $98 on top of the federal price. Online filing and office preparation are also separate workflows with separate prices, so starting online does not mean the office can finish the same return. Choose H&R Block when live help and an office nearby matter.
What we like
- AI Tax Assist and unlimited live tax-pro support are included on paid online tiers
- Thousands of offices give in-person backup if a return goes sideways
- Free Online tier covers more situations than TurboTax Free, including retirement income
Watch out for
- Self-Employed at $130 federal is the second-priciest filing option here
- State returns cost $49 each, so a two-state agent pays $98 on top of federal
- Online filing and office preparation are separate workflows with separate prices
TaxAct
Best for: Budget-conscious agents who want a mainstream guided filing product
TaxAct is the one company in this list that still sells a tier called Self-Employed, and that matters for a real estate agent: the product is built and labelled for Schedule C filers rather than a general tier that happens to support their forms. Self-Employed costs $109.99 for the federal return and carries full support for Schedule C income and expenses, walks through the expense categories, and includes audit alerts.
The catch is the state fee. At $64.99 per state, it is the highest in this list, so a one-state filer pays $174.98 in total — barely less than H&R Block. Xpert Assist, which opens up tax experts for unlimited sessions, costs $45 extra. Pick TaxAct when the federal price matters most and the agent files in one state.
What we like
- A tier actually named Self-Employed, built and labelled for Schedule C filers
- Publishes a comparison table against TurboTax and H&R Block on its own site
- Full support for Schedule C income and expenses with audit alerts included
Watch out for
- The $64.99 state fee is the highest here and narrows the federal-price saving
- Xpert Assist costs $45 extra for access to tax experts
- Reviewers report paywalls appearing mid-return when a form needs a higher tier
TaxSlayer
Best for: Agents who want the cheapest major-brand filing that still includes access to a tax professional
TaxSlayer sits between FreeTaxUSA and the big brands: more guidance than the free option, less expensive than TurboTax. Self-Employed costs $74.99 for the federal return, the cheapest major-brand price here, and includes a tax professional with self-employment experience, help with deductions on business income and expenses, and reminders for quarterly estimated payments. Simply Free even includes one state return at certain times of the season.
The interface is utilitarian and offers less hand-holding than TurboTax, and the $47.99 state fee eats into the saving for multi-state filers. Prices are also set when you print or e-file and can change without notice, so the figure at checkout is the one that counts. Choose TaxSlayer when the agent wants pro access without paying TurboTax prices.
What we like
- Cheapest major-brand Self-Employed federal price here at $74.99
- Includes a tax professional with self-employment experience and quarterly estimate reminders
- Simply Free includes one state return, which most rivals' free tiers do not
Watch out for
- State returns cost $47.99 each, so the saving shrinks for multi-state filers
- The interface is utilitarian and offers less hand-holding than TurboTax
- Prices are set when you print or e-file and can change without notice
Keeper
Best for: Agents who want year-round deduction tracking that ends in a filed return reviewed by a tax professional
Keeper is the only tool here that does the whole year and the filing in one subscription. It connects to the agent's bank and card accounts, scans transactions with AI, and flags expenses that are likely deductible — marketing costs, phone bills, software subscriptions, client meals — as they happen. Standard costs $199 a year and files the federal return plus up to two state returns, with a tax professional reviewing and signing the result.
The plan ladder needs reading. The $20-a-month Bookkeeping Only plan tracks expenses but files nothing, so the filing agent needs Standard at least. A third state return forces the jump to Premium at $399 a year, and Keeper has no mileage tracking, so driving deductions need a separate app. Pick Keeper when the agent wants deductions found all year, not just at filing time.
What we like
- AI scans bank and card transactions all year and flags likely deductions automatically
- Standard at $199 a year files the federal return plus up to two state returns
- A tax professional reviews and signs the filed return
Watch out for
- The $20-a-month Bookkeeping Only plan tracks expenses but files nothing
- A third state return forces the jump from Standard at $199 to Premium at $399 a year
- No mileage tracking, so driving deductions need a separate app
QuickBooks Solopreneur
Best for: Solo agents who want one Intuit account for income, expenses, mileage and quarterly estimates
QuickBooks Solopreneur is Intuit's replacement for QuickBooks Self-Employed, and it is the product pointed at a solo real estate agent today. It costs $20 a month, or $215 a year, and bundles income and expense tracking, mileage tracking, invoicing and quarterly estimated-tax tracking into one subscription. A TurboTax bundle is available for agents who want filing in the same Intuit account.
The limit is that Solopreneur tracks taxes but does not file the return — filing costs extra, whether through the TurboTax bundle or a separate filing tool. It is also not full double-entry accounting, so a team that hires help outgrows it. Choose Solopreneur when the agent wants one Intuit account for the year's books and is happy to file separately.
What we like
- Built for one-person Schedule C businesses: income, expenses, mileage and invoicing
- Quarterly estimated-tax tracking is built in, with a TurboTax bundle available
- Replaced QuickBooks Self-Employed as Intuit's product for solo operators
Watch out for
- Filing costs extra — Solopreneur tracks taxes but does not file the return
- Not full double-entry accounting, so a growing team outgrows it
- A $10-a-month Lite tier appears on the Solopreneur page while the main pricing page lists $20, so confirm at checkout
Hurdlr
Best for: Agents who drive a lot and want automatic mileage tracking with real-time tax estimates
Hurdlr is the mileage-first tracker, and mileage is the deduction that matters most to an agent who drives to showings all week. Premium costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year and adds automatic GPS mileage tracking, automatic expense and income tracking, and real-time state and self-employment tax calculations as income lands. The free plan exists, but it caps the automatic features, so real automation needs Premium.
The ceiling is low. Premium has no invoicing and no general ledger — those need Pro at $200 a year — and tax filing is only on Pro, so a Premium user still files elsewhere. Hurdlr is priced per owner account, not per employee, so it fits a solo agent and nobody else. Pick Hurdlr when driving is the biggest deductible and the agent wants it logged without thinking.
What we like
- Automatic GPS mileage tracking, the deduction that matters most to a driving agent
- Real-time state and self-employment tax calculations as income lands
- Cheapest paid plan here at $9.99 a month, with a usable free plan
Watch out for
- The free plan caps automatic features, so real automation needs Premium
- No invoicing or general ledger on Premium — those need Pro at $200 a year
- Tax filing is only on Pro, so Premium users still file elsewhere
FreshBooks
Best for: Agents who invoice clients for services and want clean tax-time reports
FreshBooks is the friendliest bookkeeping tool in this list, and it carries the highest G2 score here at 4.5 out of 5. Lite costs $23 a month and covers invoicing, expense tracking, estimates and mileage tracking for up to 5 billable clients, with tax-time reports that pull the year's numbers together for filing. It suits an agent who also bills for services such as staging advice or transaction coordination.
The limits are the client cap and the lack of filing. Lite covers only 5 billable clients, so a busy agent outgrows it fast, and the price climbs to $43 a month on Plus once receipt scanning and accounting reports matter. FreshBooks prepares the books; the return is still filed elsewhere. Choose FreshBooks when invoicing and clean reports matter more than filing in one place.
What we like
- Highest G2 score here at 4.5 out of 5, with reviewers praising ease of use
- Invoicing, expense tracking, estimates and mileage tracking on the entry plan
- Tax-time reports pull the year's numbers together for filing
Watch out for
- Lite covers only 5 billable clients, so a busy agent outgrows it fast
- No tax filing — FreshBooks prepares the books and the agent files elsewhere
- The price climbs to $43 a month on Plus once receipt scanning and reports matter
Xero
Best for: Agents with an accountant who want full double-entry books and unlimited users
Xero is the full-accounting pick for an agent who works with an accountant. Early costs $27 a month and covers bank feeds and reconciliation, 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, sales tax and 1099 handling — and every plan includes unlimited users with no per-user fee, so the accountant costs nothing extra. Xero's US prices rose on October 1, 2026, from $25 to $27 on Early, and the 90%-off introductory offer ended on November 2, 2026.
The caps matter. Early allows only 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, so most active agents land on Growing at $59, and automatic bank reconciliation costs $5 a month extra. There is no tax filing: Xero keeps the books and the return is filed elsewhere. Choose Xero when the books need to be double-entry and an accountant is in the loop.
What we like
- Unlimited users on every plan with no per-user fee, so an accountant costs nothing extra
- Full double-entry accounting with bank feeds, sales tax and 1099 handling
- Early at $27 a month undercuts QuickBooks Simple Start at $38 for the same job
Watch out for
- Early caps the agent at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, so most agents land on Growing at $59
- No tax filing — Xero keeps the books and the return is filed elsewhere
- Automatic bank reconciliation costs $5 a month extra on Early
A real estate agent files as a self-employed business owner, which makes the best tax software for real estate agents a different purchase from the software a salaried employee uses. Commission income arrives on 1099s, mileage and marketing costs are deductible, and quarterly estimated taxes replace the withholding a paycheque used to handle. We ranked the 10 tools below by fit for the most common buyer — a solo agent filing Schedule C — starting with the filing tools and ending with the year-round bookkeeping tools, and every price was checked on November 10, 2026.
How to choose the best tax software for real estate agents
- Decide filing or year-round tracking first. Filing tools such as TurboTax and FreeTaxUSA handle the return once a year; tracking tools such as Keeper, Hurdlr and QuickBooks Solopreneur keep the records clean all year. Most agents need both.
- Count the states before you compare prices. A $109.99 federal price at TaxAct becomes $174.98 with one state, while FreeTaxUSA stays at $15.99. The state fee, not the federal price, decides the cheapest filing.
- Check mileage tracking. Driving to showings is the biggest deductible for most agents, so automatic GPS logging matters more than any other tracking feature. Hurdlr and QuickBooks Solopreneur log it automatically; Keeper does not.
- Check quarterly estimates. Agents pay estimated tax four times a year with no employer withholding. Keeper, QuickBooks Solopreneur and Hurdlr calculate the estimate as income lands, so the January payment is not a surprise.
- Confirm Schedule C and 1099 support. The free tiers of the big brands do not cover self-employment income, so an agent who picks a free tier will be pushed to a paid one mid-return. FreeTaxUSA is the exception: every federal form is free.
Filing the return is only half the job — clients also need to find the agent in the first place. Our local SEO service handles the visibility side, and before you publish new service pages, run your titles through the free SERP snippet preview tool — it shows exactly how the title and description will look in Google.
Whatever you shortlist, try the tracking side before tax season starts. The free plans and trials in this list are long enough to run one genuine month — your showings, your mileage, your expenses — and that month tells you more than any review can. Check two things in the trial: that mileage logs itself without you remembering to start it, and that the expense categories map cleanly onto Schedule C. Every tool here that tracks expenses does so all year, so there is no reason to buy before you have seen one month of your own data.
Tax software pricing: what you will actually pay
Take a solo agent who files in one state and wants the year's records tracked as well as the return filed. Filing only costs $15.99 with FreeTaxUSA, $122.98 with TaxSlayer ($74.99 federal plus $47.99 state), $174.98 with TaxAct ($109.99 plus $64.99), and $179 with H&R Block ($130 plus $49). TurboTax costs $139 for the federal return, plus the state fee, which Intuit sets at checkout rather than printing on the pricing page.
Add year-round tracking and the totals move. Hurdlr Premium at $99.99 a year plus a FreeTaxUSA state return costs $115.98 a year all in. Keeper Standard at $199 a year includes the federal return and up to two state returns, so there is nothing to add. QuickBooks Solopreneur at $240 a year plus a FreeTaxUSA state return costs $255.99, FreshBooks Lite at $276 a year plus the same state return costs $291.99, and Xero Early at $324 a year plus the state return costs $339.99.
Three costs sit outside every number above. First, extra states: each one adds $15.99 at FreeTaxUSA, $47.99 at TaxSlayer, $49 at H&R Block and $64.99 at TaxAct, so a two-state agent pays $31.98, $95.98, $98 or $129.98 in state fees alone. Second, expert help: TurboTax charges extra for on-demand answers and full-service preparation, and TaxAct charges $45 for Xpert Assist. Third, the step-ups: Keeper jumps from $199 to $399 a year for a third state, FreshBooks jumps from $23 to $43 a month on Plus, and Xero jumps from $27 to $59 a month on Growing once the invoice cap bites. If the agent also sells rentals, the comparison changes — see our guide to real estate accounting software for the rental side.
Know the difference: tax filing software vs bookkeeping software
The confusion in this category is between a tool that files the return and a tool that keeps the books. Filing software — TurboTax, FreeTaxUSA, H&R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer — takes the year's numbers and turns them into a return, once a year, for one fee per return. Bookkeeping software — QuickBooks Solopreneur, Xero, FreshBooks and Hurdlr — records income, expenses and mileage as they happen, every month, for a monthly fee. Keeper is the hybrid: it tracks all year and files at the end of it.
Neither kind replaces the other. An agent who buys only filing software still has to sort a year of receipts in April, and an agent who buys only bookkeeping software still has to file the return somewhere. The cheapest honest combination in this list is Hurdlr Premium at $99.99 a year plus a FreeTaxUSA state return at $15.99, for $115.98 all in — tracking and filing, with nothing else to buy.
A second, quieter confusion is the free tier. The big brands' free tiers cover simple W-2 returns only, so an agent with 1099 income will be pushed to a paid tier mid-return. FreeTaxUSA is the exception: every federal form is free, including Schedule C. Hurdlr and QuickBooks also have genuinely free plans, but they are tracking plans, not filing plans — the return is still filed and paid for elsewhere.
Quick comparison: tool type by need
| Buyer | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Most thorough guided filing | TurboTax | Best Schedule C interview, Premium is $139 per federal return |
| Cheapest filing, any complexity | FreeTaxUSA | Federal filing is $0, state returns are $15.99 each |
| Guided filing with office backup | H&R Block | Live pro support included, Self-Employed is $130 per federal return |
| Budget guided filing | TaxAct | Named Self-Employed tier, $109.99 per federal return |
| Cheapest major brand with pro access | TaxSlayer | Self-Employed is $74.99 per federal return |
| Year-round tracking plus filing | Keeper | AI deduction tracking and a pro-reviewed return for $199 a year |
| One Intuit account for the year | QuickBooks Solopreneur | Income, expenses, mileage and estimates for $20 a month |
| Automatic mileage tracking | Hurdlr | GPS mileage logging and live tax estimates from $9.99 a month |
| Invoicing and tax-time reports | FreshBooks | Best-reviewed here at 4.5 out of 5 on G2, Lite is $23 a month |
| Full books with an accountant | Xero | Double-entry accounting with unlimited users from $27 a month |
Mistakes to avoid
- Comparing federal prices without counting states. TaxAct looks cheap at $109.99 federal, but one state makes it $174.98 — barely less than H&R Block at $179. Always price the return with every state included.
- Buying filing software and ignoring the year's records. A return filed from a shoebox of receipts costs a weekend and loses deductions. Track expenses and mileage all year with Hurdlr, Keeper or QuickBooks Solopreneur, then file.
- Calling the big brands' free tiers free for agents. TurboTax Free, H&R Block Free Online and TaxAct Free do not cover Schedule C, so an agent will be pushed to a paid tier mid-return. Only FreeTaxUSA files every federal form free.
- Paying for the monthly plan that files nothing. Keeper's $20-a-month Bookkeeping Only plan tracks expenses but files no return. Buy it only when filing elsewhere; for filing in one place, Standard at $199 a year is the entry point.
- Forgetting the step-ups. Keeper jumps to $399 a year for a third state, FreshBooks to $43 a month on Plus, and Xero to $59 a month on Growing. Price the tool for the agent you will be next year, not just this one.
How we chose
We checked each vendor's own pricing page on November 10, 2026 and recorded the starting price exactly as shown, including the annual-billing figure where the page lists one, and we ranked the tools by fit for the most common buyer — a solo real estate agent filing Schedule C — not by brand size. Direct vendor-page opens failed on November 10, 2026, so prices were verified from fresh search-index copies of the vendors' own pricing pages, cross-checked against independent October and November 2026 reads; tax software reprices through the season, so the figure at filing time can differ. Ratings are shown only where a fresh G2 page gave a clear score and review count on November 10, 2026: TurboTax, H&R Block, Hurdlr, FreshBooks and Xero. TaxAct, FreeTaxUSA, TaxSlayer, Keeper and QuickBooks Solopreneur carry no rating here because their G2 listings gave no clear score and count, and we would rather show no rating than a stale or estimated one. No vendor paid for a place in this list, and none of the links here are affiliate links.
What to do next
Start with the free plan or trial of your top pick and run one real month of showings, mileage and expenses through it. Check that mileage logs itself, that expense categories map onto Schedule C, and that the quarterly estimate looks right before you commit to a year. If the books are sorted but new clients are not finding you, our local SEO service handles the visibility side — or compare providers in our guide to accounting software for real estate agents. Software runs the business; search brings the customers. See where you rank locally, free.
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Get a free local SEO audit→Sources we checked (15)
- TurboTax pricing — turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/ (checked November 10, 2026)
- FreeTaxUSA pricing — freetaxusa.com (checked November 10, 2026)
- H&R Block pricing — hrblock.com/online-tax-filing/ (checked November 10, 2026)
- TaxAct pricing — taxact.com (checked November 10, 2026)
- TaxSlayer pricing — taxslayer.com (checked November 10, 2026)
- Keeper pricing — keepertax.com/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- QuickBooks Solopreneur pricing — quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/ (checked November 10, 2026)
- Hurdlr pricing — hurdlr.com (checked November 10, 2026)
- FreshBooks pricing — freshbooks.com/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- Xero pricing — xero.com/us/pricing-plans (checked November 10, 2026)
- TurboTax Self Employed on G2 — 3.6/5, 14 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- H&R Block on G2 — 4.0/5, 21 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Hurdlr on G2 — 4.3/5, 23 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- FreshBooks on G2 — 4.5/5, 981 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Xero on G2 — 4.4/5, 1,736 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
Shamim
Founder of SerpAstra
A full-stack SEO and digital marketer who spends most days on Local SEO for dental practices, AI search visibility and lead generation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tax software for real estate agents?
TurboTax Premium is the best guided filing at $139 per federal return, with the most thorough Schedule C interview. FreeTaxUSA is the best value at $0 federal plus $15.99 per state. Agents who want year-round tracking and filing in one place should look at Keeper at $199 a year.
How much does tax software cost for a real estate agent?
Filing only costs $15.99 with FreeTaxUSA for one state, $122.98 with TaxSlayer, $174.98 with TaxAct and $179 with H&R Block. Year-round tracking adds $99.99 a year for Hurdlr Premium, $199 for Keeper Standard, or $240 for QuickBooks Solopreneur, before the filing fee.
Is there free tax software for real estate agents?
Yes. FreeTaxUSA files every federal return free, including Schedule C, with state returns at $15.99 each. Hurdlr has a free plan for manual mileage and expense tracking, and QuickBooks has a free plan. The big brands' free tiers do not cover Schedule C, so they are not free for agents.
Do real estate agents need bookkeeping software or just tax filing software?
Most agents need both. Filing software handles the return once a year, but commission income, mileage and expenses happen all year. A tracker such as Hurdlr, Keeper or QuickBooks Solopreneur keeps the records clean, and the filing tool then takes minutes instead of a weekend of sorting receipts.
Can real estate agents deduct mileage and home office expenses?
Yes, if the expenses are ordinary and necessary for the business and are properly recorded. Mileage for showings and client meetings is deductible, as is a home office used regularly and exclusively for the business. Track both all year with an app, because reconstructing them from memory at filing time is where deductions get lost.
When should a real estate agent hire a CPA instead of using software?
Hire a CPA when the return includes a rental portfolio, an S-corporation election, multi-state income, or an IRS notice. Software handles a straightforward Schedule C well, but entity choice and multi-state apportionment are judgement calls where a professional pays for itself. Many agents use software most years and a CPA in a transition year.
How do quarterly estimated taxes work for real estate agents?
Agents are self-employed, so no employer withholds tax. Estimated payments are due four times a year, in April, June, September and January, covering income tax and self-employment tax. Tools such as Keeper, QuickBooks Solopreneur and Hurdlr calculate the estimate as income lands, so the January payment is not a surprise.
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