What is the best property ownership structure for my rental property or real estate investment?

That really depends on your ultimate goal. The most straightforward structure is individual ownership, where you simply report the activity of the property on your 1040 (or 1040NR). However, this structure doesn’t provide you with any legal protection.

The most popular choice is the Limited Liability Company (LLC). This property type is disregarded for tax purposes, which means the activity of the property simply flows through the individual owner’s tax return while providing a reasonable level of legal protection. Reporting is slightly more involved if the LLC has more than one owner.

C-corporations offer the highest level of liability protection but also come with the most involved reporting requirements. This article goes into more detail on each property ownership structure.