The short answer
Last updated: July 2026
A security-deposit accounting summary starts with the deposit held and subtracts documented deductions, such as unpaid rent, utilities, or eligible damage. The remainder is the calculated refund. This worksheet performs that arithmetic only; local rules control whether a deduction is allowed, the required itemization, and the deadline.
After the estimate:
Put the result into a reviewed workflowSecurity deposit calculator
Draft a neutral deposit accounting summary.
Enter the deposit held and the deductions you intend to document. This worksheet calculates the arithmetic only; it does not decide what a landlord may legally withhold.
Security deposit held
$
Unpaid rent or utilities
$
Documented damage deduction
$
Other documented deduction
$
Input-driven result
Your inputs
Formula
Result below
Calculated refund
$1,550
$1,800 deposit − $250 total deductions.
Deduction total: $250
Estimate based on your inputs. Not a promise of results.
Not legal advice. Deposit caps, allowable deductions, interest, required notices, itemization, and deadlines vary by state and city. Keep receipts and follow the rules that apply to the property.
Get early access
Watch it work
How it works
How this tool works.
At move-out, the arithmetic should be simple even when the legal requirements are not: deposit held minus clearly documented deductions equals the amount returned or the amount that exceeds the deposit. A clear internal summary helps keep receipts, photos, and invoices connected to the numbers.
This worksheet keeps the calculation neutral. It does not decide whether normal wear, a damage charge, unpaid rent, interest, or another amount may be withheld — those rules vary widely by property location.
1
Enter the total security deposit currently held.
2
Enter unpaid rent or utilities, documented damage, and any other documented deduction separately.
3
The tool adds deductions and subtracts them from the deposit.
4
Use the result as a worksheet, then check the property’s local notice, itemization, interest, and deadline requirements.
Make the result useful
Security-deposit disposition
Deposit held is the amount currently held for the tenancy.
Unpaid rent or utilities are separately documented ledger items.
Damage deductions require support distinct from ordinary wear.
Other deductions should be itemized rather than combined without records.
The assumptions that move this result
Deposit
Funds held for the tenancy.
Unpaid rent/utilities
Supported outstanding charges.
Damage
Documented allowable damage amount.
Other deductions
Separately supported items.
Calculation lens
refund or shortfall = deposit held − total documented deductions
Use the output as a documented scenario result, not a guarantee.
Read the number in context
Worked scenario
Scenario: $1,800 − $250 damage − $100 utilities = $1,450 modeled refund.
Edge case
Edge case: deductions above deposit create a balance question, not an automatic collection right.
Does not determine allowable deductions, interest, notice form, or deadline.
Before you act
• Preserve photos and invoices.
• Check local timing and itemization rules.
• Separate wear from damage.
Worked formula
refund or shortfall = deposit held − total documented deductions
Questions landlords ask
Questions about this tool and its limits.
Can I deduct normal wear and tear?
This tool does not decide that. Whether an item is normal wear, damage, or an allowable deduction depends on the facts and the law where the property is located.
Does this include required interest?
No. Some jurisdictions require interest or have special handling rules. Add only amounts you have confirmed are appropriate, and consult local guidance or counsel.
Can I send this worksheet to a tenant?
It is a calculation aid, not a legally complete notice. Required forms, itemization, supporting documentation, and deadlines vary by jurisdiction.
Keep exploring
More tools for plan cash & accounting.
Editorial ownership
Written and maintained by the Aptoria editorial team
Editorial method reviewed July 28, 2026. Aptoria reviews scope, source fit, examples, limitations, links, and publication gates. This record does not claim attorney, CPA, lender, appraiser, or other independent professional sign-off.
Professional review is not claimed. Verify current law, tax treatment, loan terms, valuation inputs, and property-specific facts with the appropriate qualified professional before acting.
Primary and authoritative sources
USAGov: Find current tenant-rights resources by state ↗
Why allowable deductions, deadlines, and documentation requirements must be checked by jurisdiction.
Built by a landlord who's done every one of these jobs by hand.
Aptoria was built by an owner-operator managing a Brooklyn portfolio — the 11pm calls, the awkward rent texts, the April receipt-pile — not by a software team guessing at the problem.
Stop sizing the problem. Let the agent run it.
Free for your first unit. The calculator gives you the number; Aptoria does the work — and you approve what matters.
Start free