calculating rental property profit/loss

anyone out there able to help out?

i know rental property "loss" takes into account agent fees, land and water rates, maintenance of the property etc - and then some portion of the mortgage (interest only isn't it?)

but how do you work out what amount of monthly payment is interest? is it the amount taken out of your mortgage account each month? some other amount? is it something only the bank can tell you? is it JUST the interest amount??

can you claim depreciation on the property as well? if the value of the property declines due to local trends? or just if there is damage that reduces it's value?

BG - when I do my rental property stuff the interest is the purely the interest amount ie. on your statement it shoudl tell you how much total interest you pay for the year, and that is what I claim.
As for depreciation, my accountant does all that. My understanding is that to claim depreciation, you have to get some type of report on the property when you start out with it and then there is some schedule accountants use to work out depreciation. I could be wrong but think you can only do it if the property is relatively new.
I don't think the 2 things you mention apply. googled calculate property depreciation and found this:

Investment Property Depreciation
Depreciation is a cost you claim on your investment property for the general ‘wear and tear’ of your property.

There are two types of property depreciation allowances available:
1. Plant and Equipment refers to items within the building like ovens, dishwashers, carpet, light fittings, blinds etc. Each item has its own rate of depreciation.

2. Building Allowance refers to construction costs of the building itself, such as concrete and brickwork. It only applies to buildings or improvements made after July 18 1985.

Both these costs can be offset against your assessable income.

Plant and Equipment

This can be quite complex to calculate as each item has its own rate of depreciation. For example, blinds could have a rate of 20% for 5 years while ovens could have 10% rate for 10 years. A detailed depreciation rate for all claimable items can be obtained at the Tax Office. Alternately, your accountant will have access to this information also.


How do I calculate my depreciation costs on my investment property?

Building allowance

If you know the cost of construction for the entire building or renovations, the tax rates are as follows:

If the building was constructed/ renovated between July 18, 1985 and September 15, 1987, depreciaton is calculcated as 4% of the building cost for 25 years.
If the building was constructed after September 15, 1987, can claim depreciation of capital works for building and landscaping is at a rate of 2.5% for 40 years.
Hence, most properties constructed before 1985, cannot claim building allowance unless renovations were made.

Property Depreciation Calculator

The best way to calculate your property depreciation allowance is to obtain a Quantity Surveyor to create a schedule for you. This schedule provides you with your allowances for the next 10- 20 years so you only need to obtain it once, if no internal or external changes occur.

You can also use our Tax Depreciation Calculator to get an estimate of potential deductions available to you. The allowances indicated on the calculator are estimations only for property you are about to purchase. The amount indicated would be an estimation of the amount you can deduct.
To get an accurate property depreciation schedule from qualified quantity surveyors, you can request a Depreciation Schedule Quote from Washington Brown Quantity Surveyors – an independent specialist company, or from any other reputable quantity surveyor. The cost of property depreciation schedules are quoted individually and fees are 100% tax deductible.

Always check with your accountant as to what deductions you are entitled to and how depreciation will affect your investment property and particular financial situation.
Contact your nearest Resi branch today or find the most suitable home loan for your needs.

Thanks Anney
was asking on behalf of a friend - will let her know about your reply and get her to make some enquiries about her specific situation

For depreciation, it is usually best to get someone in to go in and evaluate your property and draw up a depreciation schedule for you (cost us about $600), unless you know what you are doing. They are worth paying for and most people will get at least the cost of doing so returned through tax in depreciation benefits.

As for the interest, your mortgage statement should have specified on it exactly how much of your repayments are interest, and how much is principle. If you cann't find it, a quick call to your home loan provider should be able to resolve this.