Open LedgerPROPERTIES
For CPAs and tax preparers

Rental clients with clean books. Conversations that keep them yours.

Open Ledger is a free bookkeeping app for your clients who own rental property. They log as they go all year, then hand you a tax-ready report with every number, every receipt, and a short list of questions for you. Less chasing in March, more time advising.

  • Totals organized by Schedule E line
  • Depreciation and carryovers tracked year after year
  • Every judgment call sent to you, not decided for you
Create your free CPA account How we work with CPAs
  • Free for you and your clients
  • Your name and logo
  • Read-only access

What your clients see once they're linked to you: your name on every question, your answers in their books.

What your clients bring you

Everything you'd ask for, before you ask.

Each property gets its own year-end report as a PDF and a spreadsheet, kept year after year so nothing starts over when you pick up a new client.

2026 rental profit and loss Maple Court Duplex · 2 units · by Schedule E line
Line 3Rents received$61,500
Line 9Insurance$2,412
Line 10Legal and professional fees$650
Line 14Repairs$552
Line 16Taxes$5,980
Line 17Utilities$1,611
Line 18Depreciation$24,601
Expenses and depreciation$36,214
Depreciation schedulePlaced in service (4562)Carryover (8582)1099 payeesEvery receipt

A sample report from our demo property. Some lines left out to keep it short.

Totals by Schedule E lineIncome and expenses already grouped the way the return asks for them. Multi-member LLCs also get a Form 8825 summary.
Depreciation that's continuousThe building and every improvement, with method, life and dates, plus a list of what was placed in service this year for Form 4562.
Carryovers that follow the clientSuspended losses tracked year to year, and checked against the numbers from the return you filed.
Proof behind every lineEach entry carries its receipt or bank statement line. The receipts download in one file, named by date, payee and amount.
1099 payees flaggedService providers paid $600 or more are listed, with a reminder to collect W-9s during the year.
A mileage log that holds upDate, purpose and miles for every trip, at the IRS rate for that date.
A better conversation

Clients who understand their numbers value the advisor who explains them.

Open Ledger shows owners what their deductions are worth and what they'll likely owe. Where a choice belongs to you, it doesn't make it. It writes the question down, puts a rough dollar amount next to it, and tells your client to ask you.

  • Every judgment call goes to you. De minimis, bonus depreciation, partial dispositions, the small-taxpayer safe harbor: flagged, never decided.
  • They see your advice in dollars. "Could save about $4,395 if your CPA agrees" makes the value of your answer obvious.
  • Fewer surprises, fewer reasons to shop around. A running tax estimate all year means the bill in April is the one they expected.
Questions for your CPAPage 1 of the client's year-end report
~$4,766more saved in tax if the answers are yes
  1. De minimis electionNew refrigerator, $1,450. Can we deduct it in full this year?
    ~$371
  2. Partial dispositionFull roof replacement, $18,500. Can we write off what was left of the old roof?
    ~$4,395
  3. 1099s3 payees were paid $600 or more. Which need a 1099?
  4. Estimated paymentsTax owed so far is about $3,100. How much should we pay each quarter?

Your client checks each one off with you and records your answer, so next year starts from your decisions.

Getting your clients started

Your name on it. Nothing to install.

Create a free CPA account and you get your own client link. Clients who sign up through it see your name and logo wherever the app says "ask your CPA", and can let you see their books.

  1. Create your CPA accountYour name, firm, email and logo. It takes a minute, and there's no password: we email you a code to sign in.
  2. Send clients your linkOwners sign up in a minute. With one checkbox they let you see their books, view-only. They can add as many properties as they own, free.
  3. Answer from one pageYour Clients page lists every client, their properties and the questions waiting for you. Answer yes or no, add a note, and it lands in their ledger and year-end report.

Create your free CPA account

Who we are

A property management company that works with CPAs, not around them.

We're Open Ledger Properties, a full-service property management company in Los Angeles County. We built Open Ledger to keep the books for our own family's six-unit building. Few property managers coordinate with their owners' CPAs. It's how we run every property, and it's why we'd like to know you.

Books you can file fromFor every property we manage, each rent payment, bill and repair is logged with its receipt in Open Ledger as it happens. The year-end report is ready before you ask for it.
A direct line to usWith your client's OK, ask us directly about a charge, a repair or a security deposit, and you'll get an answer with the paperwork attached. No waiting for your client to forward it.
Planning before DecemberEach year we walk your client through expected deductions and tax due, and we're glad to include you so estimated payments and big decisions are made together.
Clean trust accountingRent and deposits are held in a separate trust account, never mixed with company funds, and reconciled every month.

When a client is ready to hand off the day-to-day running of a property, we'd be glad to be the manager you recommend. You stay their advisor, and we keep you informed all year.

Questions

Good to know

Does Open Ledger give tax advice or prepare returns?

No. It's a bookkeeping tool. It totals the numbers, keeps the schedules, and shows estimates so owners understand their year. Anything that's a judgment call is written up as a question for you. You prepare and file the return.

What does it cost my clients?

Nothing. There's no trial, no card and no limit on properties. We're a property management company. Some owners eventually ask us to manage a property, and that's how we make money. Your clients never have to.

How do I see a client's books?

Clients who sign up through your link can let you see their books with one checkbox, and can turn it off any time. Clients who already use Open Ledger can open your link to connect, or invite you from a property. You sign in with a code sent to your email; there's nothing to install. You can see every entry and receipt and download the reports, but you can't change anything.

Is my clients' data safe?

Open Ledger never asks for bank logins. Each account can only see its own properties and those shared with it, and receipts are kept in private storage. Clients decide who can view their books, and can download everything or close their account at any time.

Does it handle LLCs and multiple owners?

Yes. Each property records its owners and their shares, splits estimated tax by owner, and produces a Form 8825 summary for multi-member entities.

Which areas do you manage properties in?

Los Angeles County, from single-family homes and small multifamily buildings to commercial space. The bookkeeping app works for rental owners anywhere in the US.

Let's work together

Tell us a little about your practice. We'll reply within one business day to set up a short call, and we're happy to send a one-page overview you can share with your clients.

[email protected]

(818) 518-6843