7.
Income Taxes

Due to the structure of MAA as a REIT and the nature of the operations of its operating properties, no provision for federal income taxes has been made at the MAA level. In addition, as MAALP is structured as a limited partnership, and its partners recognize their proportionate share of income or loss in their tax returns, no provision for federal income taxes has been made at the MAALP level. Historically, the Company has incurred certain state and local income, excise and franchise taxes.

Taxable REIT Subsidiaries

A TRS is an entity that is subject to federal, state and any applicable local corporate income tax without the benefit of the dividends paid deduction applicable to REITs. The Company’s TRS generated taxable income of $7.6 million, $8.3 million and $4.6 million, and recognized income tax expense of $1.5 million, $1.8 million and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. One of the Company’s TRS generally provides the Company with services (property management services to a real estate joint venture and other services) for which the Company reimburses the TRS. In addition, one of the Company’s TRS owns the investments in the technology-focused limited partnerships and marketable securities that generate investment income and losses. The investment income or loss is recognized for tax purposes at the time of sale or exchange of the investment.

In addition to the TRS income tax provision, income tax expense primarily relates to the Texas-based margin tax for all Texas apartment communities. Income tax expense for the Company was $4.6 million, $5.2 million and $4.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively, as presented in “Income tax expense” in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, there were no deferred tax assets and the components of the Company’s deferred tax liabilities were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

 

December 31, 2025

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

Deferred tax liability:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized gain from limited partnerships

 

$

5,348

 

 

$

4,048

 

Unrealized gain from marketable securities & other

 

 

900

 

 

 

861

 

Total deferred tax liability

 

$

6,248

 

 

$

4,909

 

 

The net deferred tax liability balances are reflected in “Accrued expenses and other liabilities” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The TRS have no reserve for uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and management does not believe there will be any material changes in the TRS unrecognized tax positions over the next 12 months. If necessary, the TRS accrue interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

Net Operating Loss Carryforwards

As of December 31, 2025, the Company held federal net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards of $43.9 million for income tax purposes that expire in the years 2029 to 2032. Utilization of any NOL carryforwards is subject to an annual limitation due to ownership change limitations provided by Section 382 of the Code and similar state provisions. The annual limitations may result in the expiration of NOL carryforwards prior to utilization. The Company may use these NOL to offset all or a portion of the taxable income generated at the REIT level. Tax years 2022 through 2025 are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service. No tax examination is currently in process.

Taxable Composition of Distributions

For income tax purposes, dividends paid to holders of common stock generally consist of ordinary income, return of capital, capital gains, qualified dividends and un-recaptured Section 1250 gains, or a combination thereof. For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, dividends per common share held for the entire year were estimated to be taxable as follows:

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Amount

 

 

Percentage

 

 

Amount

 

 

Percentage

 

Ordinary income

 

$

6.02

 

 

 

99.40

%

 

$

5.80

 

 

 

98.61

%

 

$

5.60

 

 

 

100.00

%

Capital gains

 

 

0.04

 

 

 

0.60

%

 

 

0.08

 

 

 

1.39

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

6.06

 

 

 

100

%

 

$

5.88

 

 

 

100

%

 

$

5.60

 

 

 

100

%

The Company designated the per share amounts above as capital gain dividends in accordance with the requirements of the Code. The difference between net income available to common shareholders for financial reporting purposes and taxable income before dividend deductions relates primarily to temporary differences such as depreciation and amortization and taxable gains on sold properties.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 6, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 7, 2025
2023Feb 9, 2024
2022Feb 14, 2023
2021Feb 17, 2022
2020Feb 18, 2021
2019Feb 20, 2020
2018Feb 21, 2019
2017Feb 23, 2018
2016Feb 24, 2017
2015Feb 26, 2016

About Income Taxes Disclosures

The income tax disclosure reveals how much a company actually pays in taxes versus what the statutory rate would predict. Analysts focus on the effective tax rate (ETR) reconciliation, which breaks down every item driving the gap between the 21% federal rate and the company's reported ETR — including R&D credits, foreign rate differentials, and state taxes. Deferred tax assets (DTAs) and their valuation allowances signal management's confidence in future profitability: a rising allowance suggests the company doubts it can use accumulated tax benefits. Uncertain tax benefit (UTB) reserves quantify exposure to IRS challenges on aggressive positions.

Key signals to watch: sudden ETR drops without clear operational reasons, large increases in valuation allowances, growing UTB balances, and significant unremitted foreign earnings. Post-TCJA, pay attention to GILTI and BEAT provisions that affect multinational tax structures. Compare the cash taxes paid (from the cash flow statement) against the income tax provision to gauge earnings quality.