After-Tax Cash Flow

See how depreciation boosts your real cash flow through the Cash Flow from Depreciation™ concept.

Cash Flow from Depreciation™ Explained

Most investors focus on before-tax cash flow: rent minus expenses minus mortgage. But depreciation creates a tax deduction that puts real dollars back in your pocket. Cash Flow from Depreciation™ is the annual tax savings generated by the depreciation deduction. When you add this to your before-tax cash flow, you get True Cash Flow™ - the actual money you keep after accounting for the tax benefit of depreciation.

  • Cash Flow from Depreciation™ = annual depreciation x income tax rate
  • True Cash Flow™ = before-tax cash flow + Cash Flow from Depreciation™
  • A property with negative pre-tax cash flow can be positive after depreciation
  • This is real money: lower tax bill means more dollars in your bank account

Before-Tax vs. After-Tax Comparison

The calculator shows before-tax and after-tax cash flow side by side for every year of your hold period. The gap between them is exactly the Cash Flow from Depreciation™ — the hidden cash flow that many investors miss entirely. For a $400,000 property at a 29% combined tax rate, this adds $3,374 per year to your effective cash flow.

  • Grouped column charts show before-tax vs True Cash Flow™ by year
  • The green "boost" bar visualizes the depreciation benefit clearly
  • Effective tax rate shows what you actually pay vs. your marginal rate
  • Recapture exposure box warns you about the tax due if you sell

Sample Output

See what this feature calculates for you.

After-Tax Cash Flow
Before-Tax Cash Flow $4,428/yr
Cash Flow from Depreciation +$3,491/yr
True Cash Flow $7,919/yr
Effective Tax Rate 18.2%

Ready to Use After-Tax Cash Flow?

Get access to this feature and everything else in Cash Flow from Depreciation™ Calculator.