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Tax Tip: Mortgage Interest Deduction
If you have a mortgage on your personal residence, you’re probably well aware of the mortgage interest deduction, but like many tax provisions, a simple rule can be complex. There are many factors involving the deductibility of mortgage interest.
Generally, you are able to deduct the interest associated with $1 million of acquisition indebtedness and $100,000 of home equity debt. The interest can relate to your principal residence (as defined) and one other residence you select.
Some of the requirements for deducting the interest associated with acquisition indebtedness are as follows.
- Acquisition debt is associated with acquiring, constructing or substantially improving a qualified residence.
- The debt must be secured by the residence. Not a problem if you borrowed money from a financial institution, since they will definitely secure their mortgage. However, if you borrowed money from a family member, your loan document may not state that the loan is secured by the property.
- You must own the property on the debt you are paying and must personally make the payments. For example, if parents pay the mortgage for their children, the interest isn’t deductible by either of them.
The following are some of the rules related to deducting interest on a home equity loan.
- The home equity loan can’t exceed the equity in your house. You generally can’t borrow more than the value of your home, but this could be problematic given the recent decline in real estate prices.
- The proceeds from a home equity can be used for any purpose, except to purchase tax-exempt securities.
- Interest associated with proceeds used for purposes other than for a residence may be subject to the alternative minimum tax.
Mortgage points are generally deductible when paid for an initial loan to purchase a property. Points paid upon the refinance of a mortgage must be amortized over the life of the new loan.
The IRS is very strict in apply the $1 million acquisition and $100,000 home equity debt limits. However, the Service issued a ruling in 2009 in which they stated that acquisition indebtedness in excess of $1 million to acquire, construct or substantially improve a residence could be considered home equity interest. Thus, taxpayers could deduct interest on $1.1 million of acquisition indebtedness without having to take out a separate home equity loan.
As you can see, a simple deduction has rather complex requirements. If you have an unusual situation or are unclear about the tax rules, you should consult a tax professional. A mortgage interest deduction can drastically reduce your tax bill, but it can also be quite costly if your deduction is disallowed.