Qualifying rental for 20% deduction - Safe harbor rule.

Solely for the purposes of Code Sec. 199A, a rental real estate enterprise will be treated as a trade or business if the following requirements are satisfied during the tax year with respect to the rental real estate enterprise: 

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(A) Separate books and records are maintained to reflect income and expenses for each rental real estate enterprise;

(B) For tax years beginning prior to Jan. 1, 2023, 250 or more hours of rental services are performed (as described below) per year with respect to the rental enterprise. For tax years beginning after Dec. 1, 2022, in any three of the five consecutive tax years that end with the tax year (or in each year for an enterprise held for less than five years), 250 or more hours of rental services are performed (as described below) per year with respect to the rental real estate enterprise; and 

(C) The taxpayer maintains contemporaneous records, including time reports, logs, or similar documents, regarding the following: (i) hours of all services performed; (ii) description of all services performed; (iii) dates on which such services were performed; and (iv) who performed the services. Such records are to be made available for inspection at the request of the IRS. The contemporaneous records requirement will not apply to tax years beginning prior to Jan. 1, 2019. 

Rental services for purpose of the proposed revenue procedure include: (i) advertising to rent or lease the real estate; (ii) negotiating and executing leases; (iii) verifying information contained in prospective tenant applications; (iv) collection of rent; (v) daily operation, maintenance, and repair of the property; (vi) management of the real estate; (vii) purchase of materials; and (viii) supervision of employees and independent contractors. Rental services may be performed by owners or by employees, agents, and/or independent contractors of the owners.

The term rental services does not include financial or investment management activities, such as arranging financing; procuring property; studying and reviewing financial statements or reports on operations; planning, managing, or constructing long-term capital improvements; or hours spent traveling to and from the real estate.

Real estate used by the taxpayer (including an owner or beneficiary of an RPE relying on this safe harbor) as a residence for any part of the year under Code Sec. 280A is not eligible for this safe harbor. Real estate rented or leased under a triple net lease (NNN) is also not eligible for this safe harbor. For purposes of the revenue procedure, a triple net lease includes a lease agreement that requires the tenant or lessee to pay taxes, fees, and insurance, and to be responsible for maintenance activities for a property in addition to rent and utilities.

Effective date/reliance. The proposed revenue procedure is proposed to apply to tax years ending after Dec. 1, 2017.

Until such time that the proposed revenue procedure is published in final form, taxpayers may use the safe harbor described in the proposed revenue procedure for purposes of determining when a rental real estate enterprise may be treated as a trade or business solely for purposes of Code Sec. 199A.