Eight steps. Zero shortcuts.

Signed engagement letter and initial deposit. We immediately send a document checklist covering your PSA, HUD-1, construction contracts, blueprints, appraisals, and prior depreciation schedules. Clean, complete documents are the foundation of every defensible study.

Our licensed contractor panel conducts a physical walkthrough of the property — photographing, measuring, and documenting every material component. Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems are inspected by licensed professionals in each discipline. Desktop-only studies are not how we operate.

Every component identified during inspection is allocated to its correct asset class — 5-year, 7-year, 15-year, or 39-year — based on function, mobility, and IRC §§ 1245/1250. Unit costs are supported by RSMeans, Marshall & Swift, and actual invoice backup where available.

Year-by-year MACRS depreciation calculated for each asset class and compared against straight-line 39-year baseline. NPV of the benefit quantified. Bonus depreciation under IRC § 168(k) analyzed and first-year impact isolated — often the most compelling headline number for the client.

Every dollar allocated ties back to the total depreciable basis. Variance equals zero — always. If it does not, we find the error and fix it before moving forward. This reconciliation is the first thing a CPA or IRS auditor checks.

Methodology statement, site inspection summary, source document narrative, and audit defense statement are drafted to IRS ATG standards. The narrative sections are not filler — they are the legal framework that protects the study under scrutiny.

Draft study shared with our CPA partner for tax compliance review. Bonus depreciation confirmed, Form 3115 assessed, and all feedback incorporated before finalization. Your own CPA receives the completed study with everything needed to implement it on your return.

Preparer, CPA, and taxpayer signatures obtained. Complete bound deliverable packet and searchable PDF delivered to you and your tax preparer. Full workpapers retained in our secure system for seven years for audit defense.