Why? Because apparently they need some more incentive to keep units occupied. Also, even though a property might be vacant, there’s still imputed rental income there. Its owner is just receiving it in the form of enjoying the unit for himself instead of receiving an actual rent check from a tenant. That imputed rent ought to be taxed like any other income.
That’s a stupid term. Saying that someone living in their own house is earning them “imputed rent” is ridiculous.
It’s not ridiculous at all. Imputed rent is part of why owning your own home is a good investment. You can’t live in your shares of GameStop!
You can’t live in your shares of GameStop!
But no one is saying you can or comparing the two things.
That’s not the point. I’m just trying to explain that imputed rent is real. By owning and possessing housing you are receiving income from it in the form of imputed rent. It is the savings on the rent you would otherwise have to pay if someone else owned the property you possess instead of you.
By owning and possessing housing you are receiving income from it in the form of imputed rent
You’re not receiving income. That’s a completely made up ridiculous term.
There are like 5 places in the world that do it, and at least one of them got rid of it because of how stupid it is ( https://www.ubs.com/ch/en/private/mortgages/information/magazine/2021/abolition-of-imputed-rental-value-what-happens-next.html )
Counting an implied value as income simply because you own something is ridiculous and not something that should ever be considered.
Imputed rental income is no more “implied” than property value. The difference is that I don’t think there’s a good way to tax property value progressively. If there’s already a progressive income tax in place then all you have to do is make imputed rental income taxable and you’re pretty much good to go.
How exactly are you supposed to calculate imputed rent either though? People will rent out their properties for as much as someone will pay, so does that mean the “imputed rent” should be $10000 a month on a one bedroom shack?
Again, there’s a reason that essentially nowhere does it - it’s ridiculous and makes no sense charging someone income tax on no income.