Question on tax report options - rental property deductions

[Alex Aycinena]

>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Matt Kowske <jmk at cmail.nu>
> To: GnuCash-User List <gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
> Cc:
> Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2015 11:26:04 -0500
> Subject: Question on tax report options - rental property deductions
> Hi,
>
> I have a rental property and have assigned TXF codes for the different
> expense categories for tax deduction (IRS form 8825). This was
> straightforward enough for things like repairs, insurance, etc. but I
> see no corresponding code in GnuCash for "Depreciation". Depreciation is
> listed right along the other expenses on form 8825
>
> http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8825.pdf
>
> Just wondering if I can edit/update these codes or if I'm looking in the
> wrong place?
>

I'm sorry but there is no way for users to edit/update these codes. The TXF
codes were at one time specified and maintained by Intuit, who brought you
Quicken as well as tax preparation software. Their efforts at defining,
updating and maintaining these codes stopped several years ago. The TXF
codes in gnucash are up-to-date with the last version of the codes that
they published, as far as I know. While you are right that "depreciation is
listed right along the other expenses on form 8825", there is no TXF code
for it. (If you know of one, let me know and I can add it.)

The current design in gnucash for these is not too flexible. I would like
at some future date to redesign this part of gnucash to allow users to add
their own codes and to implement a more general approach that would support
multiple tax jurisdictions (currently, only the US and, to a limited
extent, Germany, have income tax reporting support). But I am working on
something else at the moment, so that will have to wait.

Meanwhile, for items like this one, you can continue to track them in
gnucash; they just won't show up in the report or any export to tax
software based on TXF. You will have to deal with them "on the side" (e.g.,
get the amounts from another gnucash report and enter the amounts into the
tax software separately).

Regards,

Alex