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What Is Mortgage Interest Deduction And How to To Qualify For It?

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What Is Mortgage Interest Deduction And How to To Qualify For It?

What Is Mortgage Interest Deduction?

A common itemized deduction that allows homeowners to deduct the interest they pay on any loan used to build, purchase, or make improvements upon their residence, from taxable income is called the mortgage interest deduction.

You can also take the mortgage interest deduction on loans for second homes and vacation residences with certain limitations.

The amount of deductible mortgage interest is reported, each year on Form 1098 by the mortgage company.

This mortgage deduction is offered as an incentive for homeowners.

How does a Mortgage Interest Deduction work

The mortgage interest tax deduction and income tax were both got introduced in 1913, since then it has become the favorite tax deduction for millions of U.S. homeowners.

The home mortgage interest is reported on Schedule A of the 1040 tax form and the mortgage interest paid on rental properties is also deductible, but it is reported on Schedule E.

Home mortgage interest is the single itemized deduction that allows many taxpayers to itemize, the remaining itemized deductions would not exceed the standard deduction without this deduction.

The home equity loans interests also qualify as home mortgage interest.

In 2017 The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed which changed the deduction.

The maximum mortgage principal eligible for the deductible interest was reduced from $1 million to $750,000 for new loans, meaning, homeowners can deduct the interest paid on up to $750,000 in mortgage debt.

Also, the Act nearly doubled standard deductions making it unnecessary for many taxpayers to itemize.

Resulting in most homeowners forgo the use of the mortgage interest tax deduction entirely.

Following the implementation of the TCJA in the first year approximately 135.2 million taxpayers were expected to opt for the standard deduction.

20.4 million were expected to itemize, of which 16.46 million would claim the mortgage interest deduction.

More than 80 million mortgages are outstanding in the United States, suggesting that the vast majority of homeowners receive no benefit from the mortgage interest deduction.

How to Qualify for a Full Mortgage Interest Deduction

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) restricted the interest that homeowners could deduct from taxes.

Instead of single or married filing jointly taxpayers deducting mortgage interest on the first $1 million and $500,000 for married filing their mortgage separately, they can now only deduct interest on the first $750,000 and $375,000 for married filing separately.

Some homeowners if they meet certain requirements can deduct the entirety of their mortgage interest paid.

The amount allowed for the deduction depends upon the date of the mortgage, the amount of the mortgage, and the purpose for which the proceeds of that mortgage are used.

Till the time homeowner’s mortgage matches the following criteria throughout the year, all mortgage interest can be deducted.

Mortgages taken out by a date set by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are called Grandfathered debt, which qualifies for the deduction.

Mortgages issued before Oct. 13, 1987, do not have any limits, meaning that taxpayers can deduct any mortgage interest amount from taxes.

For mortgages that a homeowner or their spouse took on after the “grandfathered debt” date as home equity debt totaling no more than $100,000 or if filing separately and married $50,000 and under throughout the tax year–the mortgage interest can qualify for the deduction if the debt also did not total more than the fair market value of the home after certain adjustments.

If the homeowner’s mortgage is a secured debt, where they have signed a deed of trust, mortgage, or a land contract that makes their ownership in qualified home security for payment of the debt and other stipulations only then can the mortgage interest deduction be taken?

Conclusion

With a mortgage interest deduction, homeowners can lower the amount of tax owed.

Depending on the type of deduction these deductions, are reported on Form 1098 and Schedule A or Schedule E.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 reduced the maximum mortgage principal eligible for the interest is deducted from $1 million to $750,000 now.

Some homeowners, who are under grandfather clauses, are not eligible for the new limits.

Many taxpayers in favor of the larger standard deduction forgo claiming the mortgage interest deduction.

https://www.compareclosing.com/blog/tips-to-mortgage-interest-deduction/

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