once you're licensed, you can join NAR and enroll in the GRI designmation program.....if I remember correctly, they touched upon this topic...

Residential over 27.5 years 

Non Residential over 39 yrs. 

That is a great question for a CPA.  

Ask your CPA.  This is one of the amazing benefits of owning investment real estate. 

Residential 27.5 years

Commercial  39 years

Land never depreciates

Daniel,

Like Carol Williams mentioned, talk to your CPA.  They can educate you on this subject.  We are not the ones with the expertise as this is a tax matter. A

That is a great question for a CPA or tax attorney.

My example is not interesting , YouTube may help here.

Take a look at the IRS website.

Consult with your local Tax Advisor or Real Estate Attorney.

You can do straight line or double declining, maybe even sum-of-years method if your accountant will do it.

Google is another great source for things like this, if you do not want to speak with your CPA or attorney.

while I do have a basic knowledge I don't answer those questions for clients, I refer them to an accountant or CPA for their answers.

Talk to your accountant/CPA for depreciation details.  Residential is over 30 years and commercial is 35 I believe.  It's covered briefly in the exam cram course but wasn't tested on out here.

Your CPA is the expert here.

Your CPA, attorney, YouTube or just google it!

Daniel, I have not examples. 

improvements only... They rot over time.

I would refer to my CPA for the answer.

Daniel Lloyd - I did not know - good answer from Michael J. Perry. 

My accountant handles that so don't need to worry though I do know the years for residential and commercial.

No.

Above my pay grade

All good anwers, Daniel. 

Take CRS 204 after you are licensed.

As allowed by law.

It is most important to have a cpa show you how it works, what numbers to use and what it means. The one thing no one thinks about is how it affects you when you go to sell it. You pay now or pay your tax later. but you always pay

Good question for a CPA!

while I could explain it in detail to you, I won't.  I also don't explain it to clients who buy investment properties, I tell them to talk to THEIR CPA about it.

Tax question, I'm a REALTOR taking the 5th.

I see that several have touched on this below, a good start, but you should dig deeper into this and contact a professional.

  Have a working knowledge, but send your people to a CPA or tax attorney.  

Daniel Lloyd contact your CPA, or IRS.

Speak to your Tax attorney or CPA.

Depreciation is one of the advantages of owning investment real estate. You write off depreciation as an expense but it does not cost you any cash…thereby lowering your taxable income. Buildings are depreciated but not the land they sit on or bare land. For additional info, talk to an accountant, CPA, or tax professional.

Depending on what you are looking for, that's up to an accountant to do or an appraiser.

Your CPA will explain it to you.