Launching soon for Airbnb hosts and short term rental operators
STR Tax Loophole Tracking for Airbnb Hosts
Field Ledger helps short term rental hosts document material participation, trips, mileage, expenses, and management work so they can keep the records needed to support the STR tax loophole.
Built for hosts who want defensible documentation without spreadsheet chaos.
Join the waitlist to get launch updates, early access, and introductory pricing.
We will only email you about Field Ledger updates, early access, and launch.
Amazon, towels and bedding, 120.50, supplies, Amex
IKEA, kitchen utensils, 240.00, supplies, Visa
The STR tax loophole
The opportunity is tax strategy. The challenge is documentation.
Many short term rental hosts use the STR tax loophole to offset active income with rental losses. The strategy depends on the rental activity being treated differently from a typical passive rental and on being able to show material participation in the business.
Hosts usually do not fail because they do not work hard enough. They fail because they cannot prove the work clearly at tax time. That means documenting what was done, when it happened, how long it took, and how it relates to the property.
Material participation
Track hours, tasks, and participation progress in one place.
Trips and mileage
Convert travel notes into mileage records tied to the property.
Transactions and expenses
Capture supply purchases and operating costs from the same note.
Defensible documentation
Original notes and structured records stay connected for review.
How it works
Write one host note. Generate the records you need.
Field Ledger is built around one simple workflow. Describe the work you performed at or for the property. Field Ledger turns that note into organized records for participation, mileage, trips, management work, and expenses.
Capture the work once
Write in natural language instead of maintaining several spreadsheets and logbooks.
Generate structured records
Field Ledger's rule-based parser extracts trips, mileage, participation activities, transactions, and property management work from each entry.
Review with confidence
Keep original entries and derived records aligned for year end review, tax prep, and accountant handoff.
Features
Built specifically for hosts using the STR tax loophole.
Field Ledger is not general bookkeeping software. It is focused on the records short term rental hosts actually need to support the strategy.
Material participation tracking
Keep a running record of host activity and participation hours across the year.
- Hours and task descriptions
- Activity categories and participation context
- Progress toward participation requirements
Trip and mileage tracking
Turn property travel into structured mileage records tied to the original host entry.
- Origin and destination captured
- Miles and business purpose recorded
- Linked to the supporting note
Expense and transaction logging
Capture property purchases and operating costs in the same place you track your work.
- Vendor, amount, category, and payment method
- Supports quick host style entries
- Clean records ready for export
Natural-language entry parsing
Type entries the way you'd describe the work to your accountant. Field Ledger's text parser extracts trips, mileage, activities, and transactions into structured records — no spreadsheets, no rigid forms.
- Free-form text entry
- Structured records extracted on parse
- Review step before records land in the ledger
Built for real teams
Built for hosts, co hosts, and property teams.
Invite partners or managers, keep one source of truth, and control who can capture or review documentation.
- Admin and manager roles
- Email based invites and account verification
- Organization and property level access
Pricing
Simple pricing for hosts, operators, and portfolios.
Pricing scales by property count and team size. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial — full access, no credit card required to start. Renews at the listed price each billing period (monthly or annually, as selected) until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing.
Owner
Best for a single STR owner who wants full recordkeeping.
- 1 property
- Up to 2 users
- Admin and manager roles
- Unlimited entry capture
- Review & normalize entries
- Material participation report
- CSV export
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews at $19/mo ($190/yr) until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing.
Operator
Best for hosts managing several properties or working with a manager.
- Includes everything in Owner
- Up to 5 properties
- Up to 5 users
- Advanced export
- User invites
- Team management
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews at $39/mo ($390/yr) until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing.
Portfolio
Best for serious operators and small portfolios.
- Includes everything in Operator
- Unlimited properties
- Unlimited users
- Priority support
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews at $79/mo ($790/yr) until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing.
FAQ
Common questions
What does Field Ledger help document?
Field Ledger helps document material participation, mileage, property trips, management work, and expenses from the same host entry.
Is Field Ledger only for Airbnb hosts?
No. Field Ledger works for any short term rental host or operator who needs organized documentation, including VRBO, Furnished Finder, and direct booking properties.
Does Field Ledger replace my accountant?
No. Field Ledger does not replace your accountant. It gives them cleaner, more usable records to work from.
What happens if I edit an entry later?
The system safely re-parses the raw entry and rebuilds the derived records so your data stays consistent.
How many hours do I need for material participation?
The 500-hour test is the primary threshold under IRS §469 material participation rules. There are six other tests that may also apply depending on your situation. Your accountant can advise which test fits best.
When should I start tracking my hours?
As early in the tax year as possible. Records built up throughout the year are far more defensible than records reconstructed at tax time. The best time to log an activity is the same day it happens.
What records does the IRS want for material participation?
The IRS looks for contemporaneous logs showing dates, activities, time spent, and the property each activity relates to. Mileage logs, expense records, and trip notes also support the broader picture of participation.
When will Field Ledger be available?
Field Ledger is launching soon. Join the waitlist to get early access, launch updates, and introductory pricing before the public launch.
STR Tax Guides
Learn how the STR tax loophole works
Browse guides on material participation, mileage tracking, tax documentation, and short term rental recordkeeping.
Browse all guidesStop rebuilding your STR loophole records at tax time.
Join the waitlist for launch updates, early access, and introductory pricing for serious STR operators.