As you already know, the interest that you pay every year on your mortgage is tax deductible. But if your mortgage was funded in the past year, and you paid points, you may qualify for an even bigger deduction.
This page:
• Explains mortgage points as a tax deductions
• Lists deduction requirements
• Suggests an alternative to a single tax deduction
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The practice of paying "points" to secure a low interest rate on a home loan is an increasingly popular one. And at tax time, the benefits go beyond a low interest rate.
The IRS defines "points" as any extra charges paid by a home buyer at closing in order to obtain a mortgage. You might also hear them called discount points, loan discounts, loan origination fees, or maximum loan charges.
But they do have to be extra charges, so standard third party costs like appraisal fees, insurance costs, or government fees don't count.
Because points are usually paid in return for a lower interest rate, they're really nothing more than prepaid interest. And as interest on a debt secured by your home, they are generally tax-deductible. (Of course, your loan must be secured by a qualified home, and you've got to be itemizing your tax deductions.)
Sidebar If you did pay points last year, you will most likely be able to deduct them when itemizing. In order to insure that you calculate your home loan interest deduction correctly, file your return electronically. H&R Block will walk you through the itemizing process step-by-step and answer any questions that you might have. Start now for free.
Claiming mortgage points as an itemized tax deduction
Because you're paying these points all at once, it makes sense that they would be deductible in full the year that you pay them. And for most homeowners, they are. But there are restrictions. Specifically, in order to deduct your points in full this year, you must meet these nine requirements:
• the mortgage is secured by your main home.
• the loan was used to buy or build your main home.
• points are an established practice in the area the loan is funded.
• the points paid are not more than usual in that area.
• the cash method of accounting is used.
the cash method of accounting is reporting income the year it is received, and deducting expenses in the year they are paid.
• the points are not paid in place of normally separate costs.
costs can be appraisal fees, title search or insurance, attorney fees, or property taxes.
• total points paid are not more than the total un-borrowed funds.
these funds can be money provided by you or the seller to close the loan and can includes the down payment and any escrow fees.
• the points were computed as a percentage of the loan principal.
• points are listed as such on the mortgage settlement statement.
This may seem like quite a list of restrictions, but most home buyers still qualify to take the deduction all at once.
Deducting mortgage points in yearly installments
If you don't meet all the standards, you'll probably need to either spread the deduction out over the life of the loan, or reduce the total amount you claim as a deduction.
If you do qualify to deduct your points in full, but you're not itemizing this tax season, you're not out of luck.
The IRS recently stated that they will allow homeowners who didn't itemize the year they bought their homes to spread the points deduction out over the life of the loan (provided they itemize in those future years, of course).
And even if you are itemizing this year, you can still opt to spread the deduction out.
You can get more information about the home mortgage interest tax deduction directly from the IRS, in the form of IRS Publication 936 (it's lots of fun.)
If you file a paper tax return, you will need to attach Schedule A with your return. If you e-file, any mortgage interest tax deductions will be calculated and the mortgage interest tax deduction form will be completed for you.
Note: you will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these publications, which you can get here. (But you probably already have it.)
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