Property-first provider comparisons
Unlevered vs Stratum Cost Segregation: Pricing & Scope
Compare Unlevered and Stratum on published services, property-specific study scope, fee questions, report deliverables and CPA coordination.
Published by Stratum Cost Segregation, a provider discussed here. This is a commercial comparison, not an independent ranking or customer review. Provider names belong to their respective owners; no competitor affiliation is implied.
$1 per square foot$2,000 minimum per property
Compare two written study proposals
Unlevered or Stratum?
You have two provider proposals but want your CPA to review a sample report before committing.
Your decision
Compare reconciliation, cost detail, reviewer identification and supporting files in actual samples.
Unlevered official service information — researched 2026-10-13.
Stratum’s published study fee
$1 per square foot. $2,000 minimum per property.
Each property in a portfolio uses the same rate and minimum. Confirm measurements, evidence collection and report deliverables in the engagement.
Book a Cost Seg Discovery CallWhere Unlevered may fit
Describes rental-home and STR studies and makes a sample study available.
Owners who want to examine a report before selecting a rental study. Compare reconciliation, cost detail, reviewer identification and supporting files in actual samples.
A sample report illustrates format; it does not establish the eventual result for your building.
Where Stratum may fit
Stratum’s property paths cover commercial buildings, multifamily, small rentals and STRs. Confirm capacity and the assigned technical team for your actual building. Stratum cost segregation studies cost $1 per square foot, with a $2,000 minimum per property. Confirm the written scope for your building. Confirm property eligibility, exclusions and current terms on the pricing page. AE’s broader planning or return services require their own agreed scope.
| Decision | Unlevered | Stratum + AE |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Owners who want to examine a report before selecting a rental study | Rental-property study with a discovery discussion hosted by AE Tax Advisors. |
| Written deliverable | How closely will my report follow the sample and what changes for unusual property facts? | Confirm component schedule, methodology, basis reconciliation and CPA handoff. |
| Price comparison | Request the current property-specific fee and all review or filing costs. | Published study pricing; confirm separately scoped advisory and filing work. |
| Owner-level tax review | Ask whether it is included or handled by your existing adviser. | Discuss broader strategy with AE; your return preparer confirms filing positions. |
A situation to compare
You have two provider proposals but want your CPA to review a sample report before committing.
A sample report illustrates format; it does not establish the eventual result for your building.
For a digital workflow, distinguish an estimate, an automatically generated document and a professionally reviewed final study. Ask which one your preparer needs and how corrections are handled.
Compare the two written proposals
Send both providers the same property description and records. Ask each to identify unsupported assumptions, the review professional and the steps needed before delivery. Choose based on the written work your property requires.
Compare the complete proposal
- What property records, site verification and technical review are included?
- Will the report reconcile basis and explain component classifications?
- Who resolves missing invoices, later improvements and prior depreciation?
- Are Form 3115 preparation, return filing, state adjustments or examination support separately priced?
- Who confirms whether deductions can be used given participation, passive-loss and other limitations?
A projected deduction is not a cash saving. Compare the study fee, filing costs, timing benefit and expected holding period with your preparer before ordering.
Unlevered pricing: what is verified
A numeric fee was not verified in the source materials used for this guide. Request the current property-specific proposal; this does not mean the provider never publishes prices.
Check the official pricing or service source — research 2026-10-13. Published starting fees are not property-specific quotes and can change.
Compare reconciliation, cost detail, reviewer identification and supporting files in actual samples. Compare the study, inspection, corrections, technical support and any separately engaged tax filing before comparing totals. See the provider pricing research table.
Unlevered reviews: evaluate the evidence
This page is Stratum’s commercial analysis of service scope, not a customer rating or a review of a report we commissioned. We have not independently audited Unlevered client outcomes.
For this research question — How closely will my report follow the sample and what changes for unusual property facts? — look for feedback that describes the actual deliverable, the property involved and the reviewer or support process.
Identify who published a review, whether the reviewer bought the same product you are considering and when the experience occurred. Provider-selected testimonials and open review-platform feedback can answer different questions. Neither a high rating nor a single complaint establishes the technical quality of your eventual study.
Start with the official provider source and independently verify any linked review profile. Read our cost segregation review evaluation guide before relying on a ranking.
Other providers to consider
Unlevered proposal comparison worksheet
Use the same facts for every proposal. This worksheet starts with the specific decision on this page: You have two provider proposals but want your CPA to review a sample report before committing.
Download the Unlevered proposal checklist (CSV)
Record each provider’s written answer beside the relevant proposal clause. The worksheet includes Stratum’s fee formula and separate rows for study work, implementation and support.
Questions before choosing Unlevered or Stratum
What should I ask Unlevered before comparing proposals?
How closely will my report follow the sample and what changes for unusual property facts? Compare reconciliation, cost detail, reviewer identification and supporting files in actual samples.
Does a Stratum study require changing my CPA?
You can keep your existing preparer when commissioning a Stratum study. Identify who reviews the report, updates depreciation schedules and handles any separately engaged filing work. Ask Unlevered to specify those responsibilities in its own proposal.
What would Stratum charge for my property?
The fee is the greater of $2,000 or property square footage × $1. A 1,500-square-foot property costs $2,000; a 3,500-square-foot property costs $3,500. Calculate the fee and review scope. A study fee is separate from any separately engaged planning or return preparation.
Stratum + AE Tax Advisors
One coordinated path from property study to tax strategy
Stratum prepares the property-level cost segregation study. AE Tax Advisors hosts discovery and discusses how the study fits your broader tax position. Your return preparer confirms filing treatment and implementation responsibilities.
- Discuss the property, timing and goals with AE Tax Advisors.
- Confirm Stratum’s study scope, records, fee and delivery assumptions.
- Coordinate the completed study with AE or your existing CPA under the agreed engagement.
Understand the Stratum and AE connection · Explore AE’s cost segregation tax planning
Compare a written Stratum proposal for your property
Bring your purchase records, existing depreciation schedule and questions. AE Tax Advisors will help you discuss the study and wider tax strategy; confirm all services in writing.
Book a Cost Seg Discovery CallSources and scope
- Unlevered official information — source research 2026-10-13; verify current scope directly.
- Stratum services and published pricing
- IRS Cost Segregation Audit Technique Guide
Updated October 19, 2026. Provider research dates are shown beside the sources. Numeric fees are attributed where verified; no savings guarantees or quality rankings are inferred. Availability, deliverables and fees depend on the actual proposal.