Free tool
Rental Property Expense Tracker
Every rental expense category, organized by the IRS Schedule E line it belongs to. Enter what you spent, see the running total, and export a clean PDF summary to hand your accountant at tax time.
Expenses by Schedule E line
Line 5 · Advertising
Listing fees, syndication sites, signage, photography for listings.
Line 6 · Auto and travel
Mileage driving to the property for showings, inspections, or repairs; travel to manage an out-of-area rental.
Line 7 · Cleaning and maintenance
Turnover cleaning, landscaping and lawn care, pest control, gutter cleaning, snow removal.
Line 8 · Commissions
Leasing commissions paid to an agent or broker to place a tenant.
Line 9 · Insurance
Landlord/dwelling policy premiums, liability coverage, umbrella policy allocated to the rental.
Line 10 · Legal and other professional fees
Attorney fees for lease review or an eviction, accountant or bookkeeping fees, tax prep for the rental.
Line 11 · Management fees
Property management company fees, leasing-only fees, tenant screening and background check costs.
Line 12 · Mortgage interest paid to banks
Interest portion of the mortgage payment (not principal). Usually shown on Form 1098.
Line 13 · Other interest
Interest on a HELOC or credit card used for the rental, or on a loan for an improvement.
Line 14 · Repairs
Fixing a leak, patching drywall, replacing a broken appliance part, repainting. Improvements that add value are usually depreciated instead.
Line 15 · Supplies
Light bulbs, filters, batteries for smoke detectors, small tools and cleaning supplies.
Line 16 · Taxes
Property taxes, local rental license or registration fees.
Line 17 · Utilities
Water, sewer, trash, gas, electric, and internet where the landlord pays them rather than the tenant.
Line 18 · Depreciation expense
Annual depreciation of the building (residential rental property is generally depreciated over 27.5 years) and of qualifying improvements. Usually calculated by your tax preparer.
Line 19 · Other
HOA dues, bank fees on the rental account, software subscriptions, education related to the rental.
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Total expenses
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0 of 15 categories used
Hand the PDF to your accountant, or keep it with your receipts. Everything stays in your browser — no account, nothing uploaded.
A worksheet, not another checklist
Search for rental deductions and you'll find plenty of articles listing what landlords can write off. What's missing is somewhere to actually put the numbers. This tracker takes the same categories and makes them usable: enter amounts as they come up through the year, and the totals stay grouped by the Schedule E line your preparer will need them under.
Everything is saved in your browser, so you can add expenses as they happen rather than reconstructing the year each January. Nothing is uploaded and there's no account to create.
Keeping the supporting records is just as important as the totals. The rent ledger gives you the income side of the picture, and the rent receipt generator documents each payment you collected.
This tool organizes figures you enter and provides general information, not tax or legal advice. Landlord Tools is not an accounting firm or a law firm, and using this tool does not create a professional relationship. Deductibility depends on your specific circumstances — have a qualified tax professional review your return.
Rental expense FAQ
What expenses can a landlord write off?
Landlords commonly record advertising, cleaning and maintenance, insurance, legal and professional fees, management fees, mortgage interest, repairs, supplies, property taxes, utilities they pay, and depreciation. Each maps to a line on IRS Schedule E. Whether a specific cost is deductible in your situation depends on your circumstances — confirm it with a tax professional.
What form do landlords report rental income on?
Rental income and expenses for most individual landlords are reported on Schedule E (Form 1040), Part I. This tracker is organized by those exact expense lines so the totals line up with what your preparer needs.
What's the difference between a repair and an improvement?
Repairs keep the property in working order — fixing a leak, patching drywall, replacing a broken part — and are generally expensed in the year they happen. Improvements that add value or extend the property's life are usually capitalized and depreciated over time instead. The line between them is a common source of confusion, so it's worth asking your tax preparer about anything large.
How long should I keep receipts for rental expenses?
Keep receipts, invoices, and bank records that support what you claimed. The IRS can generally examine a return for three years, and longer in some situations, so many landlords keep rental records for at least seven years.