The short answer

Mark an owner transfer distinctly from a tenant payment, with a reference connecting both sides of the transfer.

Calculator, coins, glasses, and a red pen on a lined notepad.
Illustrative stock photo · Photo: Tara Winstead / Pexels · Pexels License

Keep the ledger readable

Record the date, amount, originating account label and reason for the transfer. Avoid including full account numbers in ordinary notes. If an entity owns the rental, ask its accountant whether the transfer is a contribution, loan or something else; the label has consequences beyond the bank feed.

IRS guidance emphasizes identifying income sources through your records. [1]

Illustrative example: you move $900 into the rental account before a repair. That should not inflate the tenant’s rent-payment history. Reconcile the transfer separately and retain its supporting explanation.

Sources

This article was generated by AI using the sources below. Editorial standards.

  1. Recordkeeping — IRSSupports the attributed passage: IRS guidance emphasizes identifying income sources through your records. The practical workflow and labeled examples are the publication’s own applications, not source-reported cases. Source checked Sep 8, 2026.

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