Specialist Tax Preparation and Strategy for Real Estate Investors
For rental property owners and short-term rental hosts who want their returns, depreciation, passive losses, and sale-year decisions handled with real estate-specific judgment.
Alpine CPA Services is built around individual real estate investors — not generic tax prep. You get a CPA-led process designed for Schedule E rental activity, short-term rental issues, depreciation cleanup, and proactive planning before expensive decisions are made.
- Depreciation reviewed carefully — land allocation, useful life, bonus depreciation, and carryover schedules
- Passive activity rules explained in plain English so you know what losses are usable and what is suspended
- Review-first model before larger planning or cleanup work is quoted
- Planning available before you buy, convert, refinance, exchange, or sell
- 100% virtual service for Colorado real estate investors and other good-fit rental owners
Why Rental Property Owners Often Outgrow Basic Tax Prep
Rental property taxation gets expensive when it is treated like ordinary data entry. The issues are usually quiet until a refinance, sale, STR conversion, or prior-year review exposes them.
Depreciation Setup Is Easy to Get Wrong
Land allocation, purchase closing costs, useful life, improvement treatment, and bonus depreciation all affect the numbers for years. A rushed setup can create problems that follow you until sale.
Rental Losses Are Often Misunderstood
Many owners see losses on Schedule E but do not understand why they may be suspended, when the $25,000 allowance applies, or how AGI phaseouts affect the result.
Sale-Year Planning Comes Too Late
Depreciation recapture, suspended passive losses, 1031 exchange timing, and estimated tax planning should be discussed before you close — not after the taxable event already happened.
“Rental property tax work is not just another 1040. Basis, depreciation, passive losses, short-term rental use, and sale-year reporting all require judgment that basic tax prep often does not provide.”— Alpine CPA Services
Who Alpine Is Built For — and Who It Is Not Built For
Good Fit
- Individual owners with 1–5 residential rental properties
- Long-term rental owners and short-term rental hosts
- Owners who want a CPA focused on real estate tax
- Investors considering a sale, exchange, STR conversion, or prior-year cleanup
- Properties generally reported on Schedule E of Form 1040
Not a Fit
- Partnership, S corporation, or multi-owner entity return work
- Bookkeeping-only, payroll-only, or sales tax-only requests
- Large portfolios that need institutional-level accounting support
- Investors looking for the cheapest tax preparer
A CPA Firm Built Around Real Estate Tax
I’m Johnny Lujan, a licensed CPA based in Colorado Springs and the founder of Alpine CPA Services. Alpine is built for individual real estate investors who want more careful, real-estate-specific tax work than a generalist practice or low-cost tax chain can usually provide.
Real estate tax is the center of the practice. Depreciation schedules, passive activity rules, suspended losses, short-term rental treatment, and sale-year planning are not side issues here — they are the reason Alpine exists.
Why investors choose Alpine: The goal is not simply to file another tax return. The goal is to understand the real estate activity, identify planning risks, clean up weak reporting where appropriate, and give you a clear path forward before the numbers become expensive.
- Licensed CPA — State of Colorado
- Real estate tax focus — rental property specialization
- Rental property and short-term rental tax focus
- Depreciation, basis, passive losses, and Schedule E reporting
- Sale-year planning, recapture, 1031 exchange, and prior-year issue review
- 100% virtual process for good-fit real estate investors
Built Around Real Estate Tax — Not Generic 1040 Prep
Every service is designed for the issues rental owners actually face: Schedule E reporting, depreciation, passive losses, short-term rental treatment, sale-year planning, and prior-year cleanup decisions.
Real Estate Investor Tax Preparation
Your complete individual tax return with rental activity reviewed carefully. The engagement is designed for owners who want clean Schedule E reporting, a defensible depreciation schedule, and a clear explanation of what is happening on the return.
Starts at $1,500 for real estate investor tax preparation Final pricing depends on property count, STR activity, prior-year issues, sales, multi-state filings, and planning needs. Your flat fee is quoted before work begins.- Form 1040 with Schedule E rental reporting
- Depreciation schedule review — basis, land allocation, useful life, and carryovers
- Passive loss review — suspended losses, $25K allowance, and AGI phaseout awareness
- Rental income and expense classification review
- Prior-year setup concerns identified before larger cleanup work is quoted
Real Estate Tax Strategy Review
A focused paid review of your rental property tax situation, including prior-year returns, Schedule E reporting, depreciation, passive losses, property use, and major planning concerns. You receive a written summary of findings and recommended next steps.
$950 fixed feePlanning + Preparation Engagement
For owners who want the tax return plus proactive planning during the year. Best when you are buying, selling, converting to STR, projecting taxes, or making decisions that should be reviewed before year-end.
Starts at $3,500/yearAlpine primarily serves individual real estate investors, rental property owners, and short-term rental hosts. Short-term rental and vacation-home engagements are quoted based on scope and typically start at $2,500. Advanced strategy work is quoted separately.
Investment
Our firm works with individual real estate investors who want more than basic tax preparation. Every engagement is flat-fee and quoted before work begins.
Most serious prospects begin with a $950 Real Estate Tax Strategy Review. Planning + preparation engagements start at $3,500 annually. Short-term rental and vacation-home engagements are quoted based on scope and typically start at $2,500.
Rental Tax Preparation
For individual rental owners who want accurate filing with real estate-specific review.
- Form 1040 with Schedule E rental reporting
- Rental income and expense review
- Depreciation schedule review
- Passive loss tracking and carryforward awareness
Best for straightforward long-term rentals with clean records and limited cleanup needs.
Real Estate Tax Strategy Review
A focused review before larger preparation, planning, or cleanup work is quoted.
- Prior-year return and Schedule E review
- Depreciation, basis, and passive loss review
- Short-term rental or vacation-home issue spotting
- Written summary of findings and recommended next steps
Best when you are not sure what is wrong, what you need, or what an annual engagement should include.
Planning + Preparation
For owners who want tax preparation plus proactive planning throughout the year.
- Annual tax preparation with real estate-specific review
- Mid-year or year-end tax planning touchpoints
- Estimated tax and projection support
- Planning before purchases, sales, STR changes, or other major decisions
Best for active investors who want guidance before decisions are made, not just tax filing after the fact.
What affects pricing?
Short-term rental and vacation-home engagements are quoted based on scope and typically start at $2,500. Advanced work involving real estate professional status, cost segregation, 1031 exchanges, rental property sales, prior-year depreciation issues, multi-state filings, or entity-heavy structures is quoted separately.
We are not the lowest-cost option. Our process is built for rental owners who want thoughtful guidance, clean reporting, and proactive planning.
Not sure what fits your situation? Submit a review request and we will recommend the right first step — no pressure, no generic package pitch.
Request a Fit Assessment →A Review-Led, Fully Virtual Process
No office visits. No blind quoting. We start with the facts and build the right engagement from there.
Fit Assessment
Submit the form so we can understand your property activity, return history, and whether Alpine is the right fit.
Strategy Review When Needed
Many serious prospects begin with a $950 Real Estate Tax Strategy Review before larger work is quoted.
Clear Proposal
After reviewing the facts, we recommend tax preparation, planning + preparation, or a separately quoted advanced project.
Prepare, Plan, and File
Everything is handled through the secure portal with clear communication, CPA review, and e-signature before filing.
Questions a Real Estate Tax Review Should Answer
“Is my rental basis, land allocation, improvement treatment, and depreciation schedule set up correctly?”
“Why do I have rental losses, and which losses are currently usable versus suspended for future years?”
“What happens if I sell, exchange, convert, or change the use of the property?”
The goal is clear, defensible tax treatment — not aggressive promises or generic tax prep.
Prior-Year Depreciation and Return Review
If your depreciation, basis, passive losses, or rental income reporting may have been handled incorrectly in prior years, Alpine can help identify the issue and explain your options. Correction work, amended returns, or accounting method changes are quoted separately before work begins.
The earlier you review the issue, the more options you usually keep.See If Alpine Is the Right Fit for Your Rental Properties
Tell us about your property activity and what you need. We will review the request and recommend the right first step: preparation, a Strategy Review, planning + preparation, or a separately scoped project.
- We will look for obvious fit issues before you pay for anything
- We will recommend whether a $950 Strategy Review makes sense for your situation
- We will be upfront if your issue is outside Alpine’s current scope
- If we are a fit, you will receive clear next steps and flat-fee pricing
What happens after you submit?
We'll review your info and respond with the recommended next step. That may be a 15-minute fit call, a $950 Strategy Review, annual planning + preparation, or a note that your situation is outside Alpine’s current scope. If deeper review or cleanup is needed, it will be quoted upfront before any work begins.
Request a Fit Assessment
Takes 90 seconds · Secure next steps · CPA-led process
This does not include a normal W-2 from an employer you do not own. Alpine currently focuses on individual real estate tax work, so this helps us identify whether a separate entity return may be involved or whether you simply receive a K-1 prepared elsewhere.
Your information stays private. Please do not upload tax documents here; we will provide secure portal instructions if we move forward.
Every Engagement Gets Real Estate-Specific Review
Depreciation, passive losses, Schedule E reporting, and property-specific details are reviewed through a real estate tax lens. Alpine does not treat rental activity as a generic add-on to a basic 1040.
Common Questions
Start With the Right First Step
Whether you need rental tax preparation, a $950 Strategy Review, planning + preparation, or a separately scoped project, the first step is a short fit assessment. We will tell you what makes sense before you commit.
