Publication 936 |
2008 Tax Year |
Publication 936 - Main Content
Part I. Home Mortgage Interest
This part explains what you can deduct as home mortgage interest. It includes discussions on points, mortgage insurance premiums,
and how to report deductible interest on your tax return.
Generally, home mortgage interest is any interest you pay on a loan secured by your home (main home or a second home). The
loan may be a mortgage to buy your home, a second mortgage, a line of credit, or a home equity loan.
You can deduct home mortgage interest if all the following conditions are met.
-
You file Form 1040 and itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040).
-
You are legally liable for the loan.
-
There is a true debtor-creditor relationship between you and the lender.
-
The mortgage is a secured debt on a qualified home in which you have an ownership interest. “Secured debt” and “qualified home” are explained later.
You cannot deduct interest you pay for someone else if you are not legally liable to pay it. Both you and the lender must
intend that the loan be repaid.
Fully deductible interest.
In most cases, you can deduct all of your home mortgage interest. How much you can deduct depends on the date of the
mortgage, the amount of the mortgage, and how you use the mortgage proceeds.
If all of your mortgages fit into one or more of the following three categories at all times during the year, you
can deduct all of the interest on those mortgages. (If any one mortgage fits into more than one category, add the debt that
fits in each category to your other debt in the same category.) If one or more of your mortgages does not fit into any of
these categories, use Part II of this publication to figure the amount of interest you can deduct.
The three categories are as follows.
-
Mortgages you took out on or before October 13, 1987 (called grandfathered debt).
-
Mortgages you took out after October 13, 1987, to buy, build, or improve your home (called home acquisition debt), but only
if throughout 2008 these mortgages plus any grandfathered debt totaled $1 million or less ($500,000 or less if married filing
separately).
-
Mortgages you took out after October 13, 1987, other than to buy, build, or improve your home (called home equity debt), but
only if throughout 2008 these mortgages totaled $100,000 or less ($50,000 or less if married filing separately) and totaled
no more than the fair market value of your home reduced by (1) and (2).
The dollar limits for the second and third categories apply to the combined mortgages on your main home and second home.
See
Part II
for more detailed definitions of grandfathered, home acquisition, and home equity debt.
You can use Figure A to check whether your home mortgage interest is fully deductible.
You can deduct your home mortgage interest only if your mortgage is a secured debt. A secured debt is one in which you sign
an instrument (such as a mortgage, deed of trust, or land contract) that:
-
Makes your ownership in a qualified home security for payment of the debt,
-
Provides, in case of default, that your home could satisfy the debt, and
-
Is recorded or is otherwise perfected under any state or local law that applies.
In other words, your mortgage is a secured debt if you put your home up as collateral to protect the interests of the lender.
If you cannot pay the debt, your home can then serve as payment to the lender to satisfy (pay) the debt. In this publication,
mortgage will refer to secured debt.
Debt not secured by home.
A debt is not secured by your home if it is secured solely because of a lien on your general assets or if it is a
security interest that attaches to the property without your consent (such as a mechanic's lien or judgment lien).
A debt is not secured by your home if it once was, but is no longer secured by your home.
Wraparound mortgage.
This is not a secured debt unless it is recorded or otherwise perfected under state law.
Example.
Beth owns a home subject to a mortgage of $40,000. She sells the home for $100,000 to John, who takes it subject to the $40,000
mortgage. Beth continues to make the payments on the $40,000 note. John pays $10,000 down and gives Beth a $90,000 note secured
by a wraparound mortgage on the home. Beth does not record or otherwise perfect the $90,000 mortgage under the state law that
applies. Therefore, the mortgage is not a secured debt and John cannot deduct any of the interest he pays on it as home mortgage
interest.
Choice to treat the debt as not secured by your home.
You can choose to treat any debt secured by your qualified home as not secured by the home. This treatment begins
with the tax year for which you make the choice and continues for all later tax years. You can revoke your choice only with
the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
You may want to treat a debt as not secured by your home if the interest on that debt is fully deductible (for example,
as a business expense) whether or not it qualifies as home mortgage interest. This may allow you, if the limits in Part II apply, more of a deduction for interest on other debts that are deductible only as home mortgage interest.
Cooperative apartment owner.
If you own stock in a cooperative housing corporation, see the Special Rule for Tenant-Stockholders in Cooperative Housing Corporations, near the end of this Part I.
For you to take a home mortgage interest deduction, your debt must be secured by a qualified home. This means your main home
or your second home. A home includes a house, condominium, cooperative, mobile home, house trailer, boat, or similar property
that has sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities.
The interest you pay on a mortgage on a home other than your main or second home may be deductible if the proceeds of the
loan were used for business, investment, or other deductible purposes. Otherwise, it is considered personal interest and is
not deductible.
Main home.
You can have only one main home at any one time. This is the home where you ordinarily live most of the time.
Second home.
A second home is a home that you choose to treat as your second home.
Second home not rented out.
If you have a second home that you do not hold out for rent or resale to others at any time during the year, you can
treat it as a qualified home. You do not have to use the home during the year.
Second home rented out.
If you have a second home and rent it out part of the year, you also must use it as a home during the year for it
to be a qualified home. You must use this home more than 14 days or more than 10% of the number of days during the year that
the home is rented at a fair rental, whichever is longer. If you do not use the home long enough, it is considered rental
property and not a second home. For information on residential rental property, see Publication 527.
More than one second home.
If you have more than one second home, you can treat only one as the qualified second home during any year. However,
you can change the home you treat as a second home during the year in the following situations.
-
If you get a new home during the year, you can choose to treat the new home as your second home as of the day you buy it.
-
If your main home no longer qualifies as your main home, you can choose to treat it as your second home as of the day you
stop using it as your main home.
-
If your second home is sold during the year or becomes your main home, you can choose a new second home as of the day you
sell the old one or begin using it as your main home.
Divided use of your home.
The only part of your home that is considered a qualified home is the part you use for residential living. If you
use part of your home for other than residential living, such as a home office, you must allocate the use of your home. You
must then divide both the cost and fair market value of your home between the part that is a qualified home and the part that
is not. Dividing the cost may affect the amount of your home acquisition debt, which is limited to the cost of your home plus
the cost of any improvements. (See
Home Acquisition Debt
in Part II.) Dividing the fair market value may affect your home equity debt limit, also explained in Part II.
Renting out part of home.
If you rent out part of a qualified home to another person (tenant), you can treat the rented part as being used by
you for residential living only if all of the following conditions apply.
-
The rented part of your home is used by the tenant primarily for residential living.
-
The rented part of your home is not a self-contained residential unit having separate sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities.
-
You do not rent (directly or by sublease) the same or different parts of your home to more than two tenants at any time during
the tax year. If two persons (and dependents of either) share the same sleeping quarters, they are treated as one tenant.
Office in home.
If you have an office in your home that you use in your business, see Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home.
It explains how to figure your deduction for the business use of your home, which includes the business part of your home
mortgage interest.
Home under construction.
You can treat a home under construction as a qualified home for a period of up to 24 months, but only if it becomes
your qualified home at the time it is ready for occupancy.
The 24-month period can start any time on or after the day construction begins.
Home destroyed.
You may be able to continue treating your home as a qualified home even after it is destroyed in a fire, storm, tornado,
earthquake, or other casualty. This means you can continue to deduct the interest you pay on your home mortgage, subject to
the limits described in this publication.
You can continue treating a destroyed home as a qualified home if, within a reasonable period of time after the home
is destroyed, you:
This rule applies to your main home and to a second home that you treat as a qualified home.
Time-sharing arrangements.
You can treat a home you own under a time-sharing plan as a qualified home if it meets all the requirements. A time-sharing
plan is an arrangement between two or more people that limits each person's interest in the home or right to use it to a certain
part of the year.
Rental of time-share.
If you rent out your time-share, it qualifies as a second home only if you also use it as a home during the year.
See
Second home rented out,
earlier, for the use requirement. To know whether you meet that requirement, count your days of use and rental of the home
only during the time you have a right to use it or to receive any benefits from the rental of it.
Married taxpayers.
If you are married and file a joint return, your qualified home(s) can be owned either jointly or by only one spouse.
Separate returns.
If you are married filing separately and you and your spouse own more than one home, you can each take into account
only one home as a qualified home. However, if you both consent in writing, then one spouse can take both the main home and
a second home into account.
This section describes certain items that can be included as home mortgage interest and others that cannot. It also describes
certain special situations that may affect your deduction.
Late payment charge on mortgage payment.
You can deduct as home mortgage interest a late payment charge if it was not for a specific service in connection
with your mortgage loan.
Mortgage prepayment penalty.
If you pay off your home mortgage early, you may have to pay a penalty. You can deduct that penalty as home mortgage
interest provided the penalty is not for a specific service performed or cost incurred in connection with your mortgage loan.
Sale of home.
If you sell your home, you can deduct your home mortgage interest (subject to any limits that apply) paid up to, but
not including, the date of the sale.
Example.
John and Peggy Harris sold their home on May 7. Through April 30, they made home mortgage interest payments of $1,220. The
settlement sheet for the sale of the home showed $50 interest for the 6-day period in May up to, but not including, the date
of sale. Their mortgage interest deduction is $1,270 ($1,220 + $50).
Prepaid interest.
If you pay interest in advance for a period that goes beyond the end of the tax year, you must spread this interest
over the tax years to which it applies. You can deduct in each year only the interest that qualifies as home mortgage interest
for that year. However, there is an exception that applies to points, discussed later.
Mortgage interest credit.
You may be able to claim a mortgage interest credit if you were issued a mortgage credit certificate (MCC) by a state or local
government. Figure the credit on Form 8396, Mortgage Interest Credit. If you take this credit, you must reduce your mortgage
interest deduction by the amount of the credit.
See Form 8396 and Publication 530 for more information on the mortgage interest credit.
Ministers' and military housing allowance.
If you are a minister or a member of the uniformed services and receive a housing allowance that is not taxable, you
can still deduct your home mortgage interest.
Mortgage assistance payments.
If you qualify for mortgage assistance payments for lower-income families under section 235 of the National Housing
Act, part or all of the interest on your mortgage may be paid for you. You cannot deduct the interest that is paid for you.
No other effect on taxes.
Do not include these mortgage assistance payments in your income. Also, do not use these payments to reduce other
deductions, such as real estate taxes.
Divorced or separated individuals.
If a divorce or separation agreement requires you or your spouse or former spouse to pay home mortgage interest on
a home owned by both of you, the payment of interest may be alimony. See the discussion of Payments for jointly-owned home under Alimony in Publication 504, Divorced or Separated Individuals.
Redeemable ground rents.
In some states (such as Maryland), you can buy your home subject to a ground rent. A ground rent is an obligation
you assume to pay a fixed amount per year on the property. Under this arrangement, you are leasing (rather than buying) the
land on which your home is located.
If you make annual or periodic rental payments on a redeemable ground rent, you can deduct them as mortgage interest.
A ground rent is a redeemable ground rent if all of the following are true.
-
Your lease, including renewal periods, is for more than 15 years.
-
You can freely assign the lease.
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You have a present or future right (under state or local law) to end the lease and buy the lessor's entire interest in the
land by paying a specific amount.
-
The lessor's interest in the land is primarily a security interest to protect the rental payments to which he or she is entitled.
Payments made to end the lease and to buy the lessor's entire interest in the land are not deductible as mortgage
interest.
Nonredeemable ground rents.
Payments on a nonredeemable ground rent are not mortgage interest. You can deduct them as rent if they are a business
expense or if they are for rental property.
Reverse Mortgages.
A reverse mortgage is a loan where the lender pays you (in a lump sum, a monthly advance, a line of credit, or a combination
of all three) while you continue to live in your home. With a reverse mortgage, you retain title to your home. Depending on
the plan, your reverse mortgage becomes due with interest when you move, sell your home, reach the end of a pre-selected loan
period, or die. Because reverse mortgages are considered loan advances and not income, the amount you receive is not taxable.
Any interest (including original issue discount) accrued on a reverse mortgage is not deductible until the loan is paid in
full. Your deduction may be limited because a reverse mortgage loan generally is subject to the limit on Home Equity Debt discussed in Part II.
Rental payments.
If you live in a house before final settlement on the purchase, any payments you make for that period are rent and
not interest. This is true even if the settlement papers call them interest. You cannot deduct these payments as home mortgage
interest.
Mortgage proceeds invested in tax-exempt securities.
You cannot deduct the home mortgage interest on grandfathered debt or home equity debt if you used the proceeds of
the mortgage to buy securities or certificates that produce tax-free income. “ Grandfathered debt” and “ home equity debt” are defined in Part II of this publication.
Refunds of interest.
If you receive a refund of interest in the same year you paid it, you must reduce your interest expense by the amount
refunded to you. If you receive a refund of interest you deducted in an earlier year, you generally must include the refund
in income in the year you receive it. However, you need to include it only up to the amount of the deduction that reduced
your tax in the earlier year. This is true whether the interest overcharge was refunded to you or was used to reduce the outstanding
principal on your mortgage. If you need to include the refund in income, report it on Form 1040, line 21.
If you received a refund of interest you overpaid in an earlier year, you generally will receive a Form 1098, Mortgage
Interest Statement, showing the refund in box 3. For information about Form 1098, see
Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement,
later.
For more information on how to treat refunds of interest deducted in earlier years, see Recoveries in Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income.
Cooperative apartment owner.
If you own a cooperative apartment, you must reduce your home mortgage interest deduction by your share of any cash
portion of a patronage dividend that the cooperative receives. The patronage dividend is a partial refund to the cooperative
housing corporation of mortgage interest it paid in a prior year.
If you receive a Form 1098 from the cooperative housing corporation, the form should show only the amount you can
deduct.
The term “points” is used to describe certain charges paid, or treated as paid, by a borrower to obtain a home mortgage. Points may also be
called loan origination fees, maximum loan charges, loan discount, or discount points.
A borrower is treated as paying any points that a home seller pays for the borrower's mortgage. See
Points paid by the seller,
later.
You generally cannot deduct the full amount of points in the year paid. Because they are prepaid interest, you generally deduct
them ratably over the life (term) of the mortgage. See
Deduction Allowed Ratably
, next.
For exceptions to the general rule, see
Deduction Allowed in Year Paid
, later.
Deduction Allowed Ratably
If you do not meet the tests listed under Deduction Allowed in Year Paid, later, the loan is not a home improvement loan, or you choose not to deduct your points in full in the year paid, you can
deduct the points ratably (equally) over the life of the loan if you meet all the following tests.
-
You use the cash method of accounting. This means you report income in the year you receive it and deduct expenses in the
year you pay them. Most individuals use this method.
-
Your loan is secured by a home. (The home does not need to be your main home.)
-
Your loan period is not more than 30 years.
-
If your loan period is more than 10 years, the terms of your loan are the same as other loans offered in your area for the
same or longer period.
-
Either your loan amount is $250,000 or less, or the number of points is not more than:
-
4, if your loan period is 15 years or less, or
-
6, if your loan period is more than 15 years.
Example.
You use the cash method of accounting. In 2008, you took out a $100,000 loan payable over 20 years. The terms of the loan
are the same as for other 20-year loans offered in your area. You paid $4,800 in points. You made 3 monthly payments on the
loan in 2008. You can deduct $60 [($4,800 ÷ 240 months) x 3 payments] in 2008. In 2009, if you make all twelve payments,
you will be able to deduct $240 ($20 x 12).
Deduction Allowed in Year Paid
You can fully deduct points in the year paid if you meet all the following tests. (You can use Figure B as a quick guide to
see whether your points are fully deductible in the year paid.)
-
Your loan is secured by your main home. (Your main home is the one you ordinarily live in most of the time.)
-
Paying points is an established business practice in the area where the loan was made.
-
The points paid were not more than the points generally charged in that area.
-
You use the cash method of accounting. This means you report income in the year you receive it and deduct expenses in the
year you pay them. Most individuals use this method.
-
The points were not paid in place of amounts that ordinarily are stated separately on the settlement statement, such as appraisal
fees, inspection fees, title fees, attorney fees, and property taxes.
-
The funds you provided at or before closing, plus any points the seller paid, were at least as much as the points charged.
The funds you provided do not have to have been applied to the points. They can include a down payment, an escrow deposit,
earnest money, and other funds you paid at or before closing for any purpose. You cannot have borrowed these funds from your
lender or mortgage broker.
-
You use your loan to buy or build your main home.
-
The points were computed as a percentage of the principal amount of the mortgage.
-
The amount is clearly shown on the settlement statement (such as the Settlement Statement, Form HUD-1) as points charged for
the mortgage. The points may be shown as paid from either your funds or the seller's.
Note.
If you meet all of these tests, you can choose to either fully deduct the points in the year paid, or deduct them over the
life of the loan.
Home improvement loan.
You can also fully deduct in the year paid points paid on a loan to improve your main home, if tests (1) through (6)
are met.
Second home. You cannot fully deduct in the year paid points you pay on loans secured by your second home. You can deduct these points
only over the life of the loan.
Refinancing.
Generally, points you pay to refinance a mortgage are not deductible in full in the year you pay them. This is true
even if the new mortgage is secured by your main home.
However, if you use part of the refinanced mortgage proceeds to improve your main home and you meet the first 6 tests
listed under Deduction Allowed in Year Paid, you can fully deduct the part of the points related to the improvement in the year you paid them with your own funds. You
can deduct the rest of the points over the life of the loan.
Example 1.
In 1994, Bill Fields got a mortgage to buy a home. In 2008, Bill refinanced that mortgage with a 15-year $100,000 mortgage
loan. The mortgage is secured by his home. To get the new loan, he had to pay three points ($3,000). Two points ($2,000) were
for prepaid interest, and one point ($1,000) was charged for services, in place of amounts that ordinarily are stated separately
on the settlement statement. Bill paid the points out of his private funds, rather than out of the proceeds of the new loan.
The payment of points is an established practice in the area, and the points charged are not more than the amount generally
charged there. Bill's first payment on the new loan was due July 1. He made six payments on the loan in 2008 and is a cash
basis taxpayer.
Bill used the funds from the new mortgage to repay his existing mortgage. Although the new mortgage loan was for Bill's continued
ownership of his main home, it was not for the purchase or improvement of that home. He cannot deduct all of the points in
2008. He can deduct two points ($2,000) ratably over the life of the loan. He deducts $67 [($2,000 ÷ 180 months) × 6 payments]
of the points in 2008. The other point ($1,000) was a fee for services and is not deductible.
Example 2.
The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that Bill used $25,000 of the loan proceeds to improve his home and $75,000 to repay his existing mortgage. Bill deducts
25% ($25,000 ÷ $100,000) of the points ($2,000) in 2008. His deduction is $500 ($2,000 × 25%).
Bill also deducts the ratable part of the remaining $1,500 ($2,000 − $500) that must be spread over the life of the loan.
This is $50 [($1,500 ÷ 180 months) × 6 payments] in 2008. The total amount Bill deducts in 2008 is $550 ($500 + $50).
This section describes certain special situations that may affect your deduction of points.
Original issue discount.
If you do not qualify to either deduct the points in the year paid or deduct them ratably over the life of the loan,
or if you choose not to use either of these methods, the points reduce the issue price of the loan. This reduction results
in original issue discount, which is discussed in chapter 4 of Publication 535.
Amounts charged for services.
Amounts charged by the lender for specific services connected to the loan are not interest. Examples of these charges are:
You cannot deduct these amounts as points either in the year paid or over the life of the mortgage.
Points paid by the seller.
The term “ points” includes loan placement fees that the seller pays to the lender to arrange financing for the buyer.
Treatment by seller.
The seller cannot deduct these fees as interest. But they are a selling expense that reduces the amount realized by
the seller. See Publication 523 for information on selling your home.
Treatment by buyer.
The buyer reduces the basis of the home by the amount of the seller-paid points and treats the points as if he or
she had paid them. If all the tests under Deduction Allowed in Year Paid, earlier, are met, the buyer can deduct the points in the year paid. If any of those tests are not met, the buyer deducts the
points over the life of the loan.
If you need information about the basis of your home, see Publication 523 or Publication 530.
Funds provided are less than points.
If you meet all the tests in Deduction Allowed in Year Paid, earlier, except that the funds you provided were less than the points charged to you (test (6)), you can deduct the points
in the year paid, up to the amount of funds you provided. In addition, you can deduct any points paid by the seller.
Example 1.
When you took out a $100,000 mortgage loan to buy your home in December, you were charged one point ($1,000). You meet all
the tests for deducting points in the year paid, except the only funds you provided were a $750 down payment. Of the $1,000
charged for points, you can deduct $750 in the year paid. You spread the remaining $250 over the life of the mortgage.
Example 2.
The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that the person who sold you your home also paid one point ($1,000) to help you get your mortgage. In the year paid,
you can deduct $1,750 ($750 of the amount you were charged plus the $1,000 paid by the seller). You spread the remaining $250
over the life of the mortgage. You must reduce the basis of your home by the $1,000 paid by the seller.
Excess points.
If you meet all the tests in Deduction Allowed in Year Paid, earlier, except that the points paid were more than generally paid in your area (test (3)), you deduct in the year paid only
the points that are generally charged. You must spread any additional points over the life of the mortgage.
Mortgage ending early.
If you spread your deduction for points over the life of the mortgage, you can deduct any remaining balance in the
year the mortgage ends. However, if you refinance the mortgage with the same lender, you cannot deduct any remaining balance
of spread points. Instead, deduct the remaining balance over the term of the new loan.
A mortgage may end early due to a prepayment, refinancing, foreclosure, or similar event.
Example.
Dan paid $3,000 in points in 1997 that he had to spread out over the 15-year life of the mortgage. He deducts $200 points
per year. Through 2007, Dan has deducted $2,200 of the points.
Dan prepaid his mortgage in full in 2008. He can deduct the remaining $800 of points in 2008.
Limits on deduction.
You cannot fully deduct points paid on a mortgage that exceeds the limits discussed in Part II. See the Table 1 Instructions for line 10.
Form 1098.
The mortgage interest statement you receive should show not only the total interest paid during the year, but also your deductible
points paid during the year. See
Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement,
later.
Mortgage Insurance Premiums
You can treat amounts you paid during 2008 for qualified mortgage insurance as home mortgage interest. The insurance must
be in connection with home acquisition debt, and the insurance contract must have been issued after 2006.
Qualified mortgage insurance.
Qualified mortgage insurance is mortgage insurance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Housing
Administration, or the Rural Housing Service, and private mortgage insurance (as defined in section 2 of the Homeowners Protection
Act of 1998 as in effect on December 20, 2006).
Mortgage insurance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs is commonly known as a funding fee. If provided
by the Rural Housing Service, it is commonly known as a guarantee fee. The funding fee and guarantee fee can either be included
in the amount of the loan or paid in full at the time of closing. These fees can be deducted fully in 2008 if the mortgage
insurance contract was issued in 2008. Contact the mortgage insurance issuer to determine the deductible amount if it is not
reported in box 4 of Form 1098.
Special rules for prepaid mortgage insurance.
If you paid premiums for qualified mortgage insurance that are properly allocable to periods after the close of the
tax year, such premiums are treated as paid in the period to which they are allocated. No deduction is allowed for the unamortized
balance if the mortgage is satisfied before its term (except in the case of qualified mortgage insurance provided by the Department
of Veterans Affairs or Rural Housing Service).
At the time this publication went to print, regulations were being considered that would allow you to allocate qualified
mortgage insurance premiums paid in connection with a mortgage obtained after 2006 over the shorter of the stated term of
the mortgage or 84 months, beginning with the month the insurance was obtained.
More information can be found in Publication 553, Highlights of 2008 Tax Changes which is available at www.irs.gov/formspubs. Information on this and other changes affecting individual taxpayers can also be found at www.irs.gov/formspubs. Click on Highlights of Recent Tax Changes and then on Individuals.
Limit on deduction.
If your adjusted gross income on Form 1040, line 38, is more than $100,000 ($50,000 if your filing status is married
filing separately), the amount of your mortgage insurance premiums that are otherwise deductible is reduced and may be eliminated.
See
Line 13
in the instructions for Schedule A (Form 1040) and complete the Qualified Mortgage Insurance Premiums Deduction Worksheet to figure the amount you can deduct. If your adjusted gross income is more than $109,000 ($54,500 if married filing separately),
you cannot deduct your mortgage insurance premiums.
Form 1098.
The mortgage interest statement you receive should show not only the total interest paid during the year, but also your mortgage
insurance premiums paid during the year, which may qualify to be treated as deductible mortgage interest. See
Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement,
next.
Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement
If you paid $600 or more of mortgage interest (including certain points and mortgage insurance premiums) during the year on
any one mortgage, you generally will receive a Form 1098 or a similar statement from the mortgage holder. You will receive
the statement if you pay interest to a person (including a financial institution or cooperative housing corporation) in the
course of that person's trade or business. A governmental unit is a person for purposes of furnishing the statement.
The statement for each year should be sent to you by January 31 of the following year. A copy of this form will also be sent
to the IRS.
The statement will show the total interest you paid during the year, any mortgage insurance premiums you paid, and if you
purchased a main home during the year, it also will show the deductible points paid during the year, including seller-paid
points. However, it should not show any interest that was paid for you by a government agency.
As a general rule, Form 1098 will include only points that you can fully deduct in the year paid. However, certain points
not included on Form 1098 also may be deductible, either in the year paid or over the life of the loan. See the earlier discussion
of Points to determine whether you can deduct points not shown on Form 1098.
Prepaid interest on Form 1098.
If you prepaid interest in 2008 that accrued in full by January 15, 2009, this prepaid interest may be included in
box 1 of Form 1098. However, you cannot deduct the prepaid amount for January 2009 in 2008. (See
Prepaid interest,
earlier.) You will have to figure the interest that accrued for 2009 and subtract it from the amount in box 1. You will include
the interest for January 2009 with other interest you pay for 2009.
Refunded interest.
If you received a refund of mortgage interest you overpaid in an earlier year, you generally will receive a Form 1098
showing the refund in box 3. See
Refunds of interest,
earlier.
Mortgage insurance premiums.
The amount of mortgage insurance premiums you paid during 2008 may be shown in box 4 of Form 1098. See
Mortgage Insurance Premiums,
earlier.
Deduct the home mortgage interest and points reported to you on Form 1098 on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 10. If you paid
more deductible interest to the financial institution than the amount shown on Form 1098, show the larger deductible amount
on line 10. Attach a statement explaining the difference and print “See attached” next to line 10.
Deduct home mortgage interest that was not reported to you on Form 1098 on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 11. If you paid home
mortgage interest to the person from whom you bought your home, show that person's name, address, and taxpayer identification
number (TIN) on the dotted lines next to line 11. The seller must give you this number and you must give the seller your TIN.
A Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, can be used for this purpose. Failure to meet any
of these requirements may result in a $50 penalty for each failure. The TIN can be either a social security number, an individual
taxpayer identification number (issued by the Internal Revenue Service), or an employer identification number.
If you can take a deduction for points that were not reported to you on Form 1098, deduct those points on Schedule A (Form
1040), line 12.
Deduct mortgage insurance premiums on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 13.
More than one borrower.
If you and at least one other person (other than your spouse if you file a joint return) were liable for and paid
interest on a mortgage that was for your home, and the other person received a Form 1098 showing the interest that was paid
during the year, attach a statement to your return explaining this. Show how much of the interest each of you paid, and give
the name and address of the person who received the form. Deduct your share of the interest on Schedule A (Form 1040), line
11, and print “ See attached” next to the line. Also, deduct your share of any qualified mortgage insurance premiums on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 13.
Similarly, if you are the payer of record on a mortgage on which there are other borrowers entitled to a deduction
for the interest shown on the Form 1098 you received, deduct only your share of the interest on Schedule A (Form 1040), line
10. You should let each of the other borrowers know what his or her share is.
Mortgage proceeds used for business or investment.
If your home mortgage interest deduction is limited under the rules explained in Part II, but all or part of the mortgage proceeds were used for business, investment, or other deductible activities, see Table 2
near the end of this publication. It shows where to deduct the part of your excess interest that is for those activities.
The Table 1 Instructions for line 13 in Part II explain how to divide the excess interest among the activities for which the mortgage proceeds were used.
Special Rule for Tenant-Stockholders in Cooperative Housing Corporations
A qualified home includes stock in a cooperative housing corporation owned by a tenant-stockholder. This applies only if the
tenant-stockholder is entitled to live in the house or apartment because of owning stock in the cooperative.
Cooperative housing corporation.
This is a corporation that meets all of the following conditions.
-
Has only one class of stock outstanding,
-
Has no stockholders other than those who own the stock that can live in a house, apartment, or house trailer owned or leased
by the corporation,
-
Has no stockholders who can receive any distribution out of capital other than on a liquidation of the corporation, and
-
Meets at least one of the following requirements.
-
Receives at least 80% of its gross income for the year in which the mortgage interest is paid or incurred from tenant-stockholders.
For this purpose, gross income is all income received during the entire year, including amounts received before the corporation
changed to cooperative ownership.
-
At all times during the year, at least 80% of the total square footage of the corporation's property is used or available
for use by the tenant-stockholders for residential or residential-related use.
-
At least 90% of the corporation's expenditures paid or incurred during the year are for the acquisition, construction, management,
maintenance, or care of corporate property for the benefit of the tenant-stockholders.
Stock used to secure debt.
In some cases, you cannot use your cooperative housing stock to secure a debt because of either:
-
Restrictions under local or state law, or
-
Restrictions in the cooperative agreement (other than restrictions in which the main purpose is to permit the tenant- stockholder to treat unsecured debt as secured debt).
However, you can treat a debt as secured by the stock to the extent that the proceeds are used to buy the stock under the
allocation of interest rules. See chapter 4 of Publication 535 for details on these rules.
Figuring deductible home mortgage interest.
Generally, if you are a tenant-stockholder, you can deduct payments you make for your share of the interest paid or
incurred by the cooperative. The interest must be on a debt to buy, build, change, improve, or maintain the cooperative's
housing, or on a debt to buy the land.
Figure your share of this interest by multiplying the total by the following fraction.
Limits on deduction.
To figure how the limits discussed in Part II apply to you, treat your share of the cooperative's debt as debt incurred by you. The cooperative should determine your share
of its grandfathered debt, its home acquisition debt, and its home equity debt. (Your share of each of these types of debt
is equal to the average balance of each debt multiplied by the fraction just given.) After your share of the average balance
of each type of debt is determined, you include it with the average balance of that type of debt secured by your stock.
Form 1098.
The cooperative should give you a Form 1098 showing your share of the interest. Use the rules in this publication to determine
your deductible mortgage interest.
Part II. Limits on Home Mortgage Interest Deduction
This part of the publication discusses the limits on deductible home mortgage interest. These limits apply to your home mortgage
interest expense if you have a home mortgage that does not fit into any of the three categories listed at the beginning of
Part I under Fully deductible interest.
Your home mortgage interest deduction is limited to the interest on the part of your home mortgage debt that is not more than
your qualified loan limit. This is the part of your home mortgage debt that is grandfathered debt or that is not more than
the limits for home acquisition debt and home equity debt. Table 1 can help you figure your qualified loan limit and your
deductible home mortgage interest.
Home acquisition debt is a mortgage you took out after October 13, 1987, to buy, build, or substantially improve a qualified
home (your main or second home). It also must be secured by that home.
If the amount of your mortgage is more than the cost of the home plus the cost of any substantial improvements, only the debt
that is not more than the cost of the home plus improvements qualifies as home acquisition debt. The additional debt may qualify
as home equity debt (discussed later).
Home acquisition debt limit.
The total amount you can treat as home acquisition debt at any time on your main home and second home cannot be more
than $1 million ($500,000 if married filing separately). This limit is reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of your
grandfathered debt (discussed later). Debt over this limit may qualify as home equity debt (also discussed later).
Refinanced home acquisition debt.
Any secured debt you use to refinance home acquisition debt is treated as home acquisition debt. However, the new
debt will qualify as home acquisition debt only up to the amount of the balance of the old mortgage principal just before
the refinancing. Any additional debt not used to buy, build, or substantially improve a qualified home is not home acquisition
debt, but may qualify as home equity debt (discussed later).
Mortgage that qualifies later.
A mortgage that does not qualify as home acquisition debt because it does not meet all the requirements may qualify
at a later time. For example, a debt that you use to buy your home may not qualify as home acquisition debt because it is
not secured by the home. However, if the debt is later secured by the home, it may qualify as home acquisition debt after
that time. Similarly, a debt that you use to buy property may not qualify because the property is not a qualified home. However,
if the property later becomes a qualified home, the debt may qualify after that time.
Mortgage treated as used to buy, build, or improve home.
A mortgage secured by a qualified home may be treated as home acquisition debt, even if you do not actually use the
proceeds to buy, build, or substantially improve the home. This applies in the following situations.
-
You buy your home within 90 days before or after the date you take out the mortgage. The home acquisition debt is limited
to the home's cost, plus the cost of any substantial improvements within the limit described below in (2) or (3). (See
Example 1
.)
-
You build or improve your home and take out the mortgage before the work is completed. The home acquisition debt is limited
to the amount of the expenses incurred within 24 months before the date of the mortgage.
-
You build or improve your home and take out the mortgage within 90 days after the work is completed. The home acquisition
debt is limited to the amount of the expenses incurred within the period beginning 24 months before the work is completed
and ending on the date of the mortgage. (See
Example 2
.)
Example 1.
You bought your main home on June 3 for $175,000. You paid for the home with cash you got from the sale of your old home.
On July 15, you took out a mortgage of $150,000 secured by your main home. You used the $150,000 to invest in stocks. You
can treat the mortgage as taken out to buy your home because you bought the home within 90 days before you took out the mortgage.
The entire mortgage qualifies as home acquisition debt because it was not more than the home's cost.
Example 2.
On January 31, John began building a home on the lot that he owned. He used $45,000 of his personal funds to build the home.
The home was completed on October 31. On November 21, John took out a $36,000 mortgage that was secured by the home. The mortgage
can be treated as used to build the home because it was taken out within 90 days after the home was completed. The entire
mortgage qualifies as home acquisition debt because it was not more than the expenses incurred within the period beginning
24 months before the home was completed. This is illustrated by Figure C.
Date of the mortgage.
The date you take out your mortgage is the day the loan proceeds are disbursed. This is generally the closing date.
You can treat the day you apply in writing for your mortgage as the date you take it out. However, this applies only if you
receive the loan proceeds within a reasonable time (such as within 30 days) after your application is approved. If a timely
application you make is rejected, a reasonable additional time will be allowed to make a new application.
Cost of home or improvements.
To determine your cost, include amounts paid to acquire any interest in a qualified home or to substantially improve
the home.
The cost of building or substantially improving a qualified home includes the costs to acquire real property and building
materials, fees for architects and design plans, and required building permits.
Substantial improvement.
An improvement is substantial if it:
-
Adds to the value of your home,
-
Prolongs your home's useful life, or
-
Adapts your home to new uses.
Repairs that maintain your home in good condition, such as repainting your home, are not substantial improvements. However,
if you paint your home as part of a renovation that substantially improves your qualified home, you can include the painting
costs in the cost of the improvements.
Acquiring an interest in a home because of a divorce.
If you incur debt to acquire the interest of a spouse or former spouse in a home, because of a divorce or legal separation,
you can treat that debt as home acquisition debt.
Part of home not a qualified home.
To figure your home acquisition debt, you must divide the cost of your home and improvements between the part of your home
that is a qualified home and any part that is not a qualified home. See
Divided use of your home
under Qualified Home in Part I.
If you took out a loan for reasons other than to buy, build, or substantially improve your home, it may qualify as home equity
debt. In addition, debt you incurred to buy, build, or substantially improve your home, to the extent it is more than the
home acquisition debt limit (discussed earlier), may qualify as home equity debt.
Home equity debt is a mortgage you took out after October 13, 1987, that:
-
Does not qualify as home acquisition debt or as grandfathered debt, and
-
Is secured by your qualified home.
Example.
You bought your home for cash 10 years ago. You did not have a mortgage on your home until last year, when you took out a
$20,000 loan, secured by your home, to pay for your daughter's college tuition and your father's medical bills. This loan
is home equity debt.
Home equity debt limit.
There is a limit on the amount of debt that can be treated as home equity debt. The total home equity debt on your
main home and second home is limited to the smaller of:
-
$100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately), or
-
The total of each home's fair market value (FMV) reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of its home acquisition debt and
grandfathered debt. Determine the FMV and the outstanding home acquisition and grandfathered debt for each home on the date
that the last debt was secured by the home.
Example.
You own one home that you bought in 2000. Its FMV now is $110,000, and the current balance on your original mortgage (home
acquisition debt) is $95,000. Bank M offers you a home mortgage loan of 125% of the FMV of the home less any outstanding mortgages
or other liens. To consolidate some of your other debts, you take out a $42,500 home mortgage loan [(125% × $110,000) − $95,000]
with Bank M.
Your home equity debt is limited to $15,000. This is the smaller of:
-
$100,000, the maximum limit, or
-
$15,000, the amount that the FMV of $110,000 exceeds the amount of home acquisition debt of $95,000.
Debt higher than limit.
Interest on amounts over the home equity debt limit (such as the interest on $27,500 [$42,500 − $15,000] in
the preceding example) generally is treated as personal interest and is not deductible. But if the proceeds of the loan were
used for investment, business, or other deductible purposes, the interest may be deductible. If it is, see the Table 1 Instructions for line 13 for an explanation of how to allocate the excess interest.
Part of home not a qualified home.
To figure the limit on your home equity debt, you must divide the FMV of your home between the part that is a qualified
home and any part that is not a qualified home. See
Divided use of your home
under Qualified Home in Part I.
Fair market value (FMV).
This is the price at which the home would change hands between you and a buyer, neither having to sell or buy, and both having
reasonable knowledge of all relevant facts. Sales of similar homes in your area, on about the same date your last debt was
secured by the home, may be helpful in figuring the FMV.
If you took out a mortgage on your home before October 14, 1987, or you refinanced such a mortgage, it may qualify as grandfathered
debt. To qualify, it must have been secured by your qualified home on October 13, 1987, and at all times after that date.
How you used the proceeds does not matter.
Grandfathered debt is not limited. All of the interest you paid on grandfathered debt is fully deductible home mortgage interest.
However, the amount of your grandfathered debt reduces the $1 million limit for home acquisition debt and the limit based
on your home's fair market value for home equity debt.
Refinanced grandfathered debt.
If you refinanced grandfathered debt after October 13, 1987, for an amount that was not more than the mortgage principal
left on the debt, then you still treat it as grandfathered debt. To the extent the new debt is more than that mortgage principal,
it is treated as home acquisition or home equity debt, and the mortgage is a mixed-use mortgage (discussed later under Average Mortgage Balance in the Table 1 Instructions). The debt must be secured by the qualified home.
You treat grandfathered debt that was refinanced after October 13, 1987, as grandfathered debt only for the term left
on the debt that was refinanced. After that, you treat it as home acquisition debt or home equity debt, depending on how you
used the proceeds.
Exception.
If the debt before refinancing was like a balloon note (the principal on the debt was not amortized over the term
of the debt), then you treat the refinanced debt as grandfathered debt for the term of the first refinancing. This term cannot
be more than 30 years.
Example.
Chester took out a $200,000 first mortgage on his home in 1986. The mortgage was a five-year balloon note and the entire balance
on the note was due in 1991. Chester refinanced the debt in 1991 with a new 20-year mortgage. The refinanced debt is treated
as grandfathered debt for its entire term (20 years).
Line-of-credit mortgage.
If you had a line-of-credit mortgage on October 13, 1987, and borrowed additional amounts against it after that date, then
the additional amounts are either home acquisition debt or home equity debt depending on how you used the proceeds. The balance
on the mortgage before you borrowed the additional amounts is grandfathered debt. The newly borrowed amounts are not grandfathered
debt because the funds were borrowed after October 13, 1987. See
Mixed-use mortgages
under Average Mortgage Balance in the Table 1 Instructions that follow.
Unless you are subject to the overall limit on itemized deductions, you can deduct all of the interest you paid during the
year on mortgages secured by your main home or second home in either of the following two situations.
In either of those cases, you do not need Table 1. Otherwise, you can use Table 1 to determine your qualified loan limit and
deductible home mortgage interest.
Fill out only one Table 1 for both your main and second home regardless of how many mortgages you have.
Table 1. Worksheet To Figure Your Qualified Loan Limit and Deductible Home Mortgage Interest For the Current Year See the Table 1 Instructions.
Part I Qualified Loan Limit |
1. |
Enter the average balance of all your grandfathered debt. See line 1 instructions |
1. |
|
2. |
Enter the average balance of all your home acquisition debt. See line 2 instructions |
2. |
|
3. |
Enter $1,000,000 ($500,000 if married filing separately) |
3. |
|
4. |
Enter the larger of the amount on line 1 or the amount on line 3 |
4. |
|
5. |
Add the amounts on lines 1 and 2. Enter the total here |
5. |
|
6. |
Enter the smaller of the amount on line 4 or the amount on line 5 |
6. |
|
7. |
Enter $100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately). See the line 7 instructions for a limit that may apply
|
7. |
|
8. |
Add the amounts on lines 6 and 7. Enter the total. This is your qualified loan limit |
8. |
|
Home equity debt only.
If all of your mortgages are home equity debt, do not fill in lines 1 through 5. Enter zero on line 6 and complete
the rest of Table 1.
You have to figure the average balance of each mortgage to determine your qualified loan limit. You need these amounts to
complete lines 1, 2, and 9 of Table 1. You can use the highest mortgage balances during the year, but you may benefit most
by using the average balances. The following are methods you can use to figure your average mortgage balances. However, if
a mortgage has more than one category of debt, see
Mixed-use mortgages,
later, in this section.
Average of first and last balance method.
You can use this method if all the following apply.
-
You did not borrow any new amounts on the mortgage during the year. (This does not include borrowing the original mortgage
amount.)
-
You did not prepay more than one month's principal during the year. (This includes prepayment by refinancing your home or
by applying proceeds from its sale.)
-
You had to make level payments at fixed equal intervals on at least a semi-annual basis. You treat your payments as level
even if they were adjusted from time to time because of changes in the interest rate.
To figure your average balance, complete the following worksheet.
Interest paid divided by interest rate method.
You can use this method if at all times in 2008 the mortgage was secured by your qualified home and the interest was
paid at least monthly.
Complete the following worksheet to figure your average balance.
Example.
Mr. Blue had a line of credit secured by his main home all year. He paid interest of $2,500 on this loan. The interest rate
on the loan was 9% (.09) all year. His average balance using this method is $27,778, figured as follows.
Statements provided by your lender.
If you receive monthly statements showing the closing balance or the average balance for the month, you can use either
to figure your average balance for the year. You can treat the balance as zero for any month the mortgage was not secured
by your qualified home.
For each mortgage, figure your average balance by adding your monthly closing or average balances and dividing that
total by the number of months the home secured by that mortgage was a qualified home during the year.
If your lender can give you your average balance for the year, you can use that amount.
Example.
Ms. Brown had a home equity loan secured by her main home all year. She received monthly statements showing her average balance
for each month. She can figure her average balance for the year by adding her monthly average balances and dividing the total
by 12.
Mixed-use mortgages.
A mixed-use mortgage is a loan that consists of more than one of the three categories of debt (grandfathered debt,
home acquisition debt, and home equity debt). For example, a mortgage you took out during the year is a mixed-use mortgage
if you used its proceeds partly to refinance a mortgage that you took out in an earlier year to buy your home (home acquisition
debt) and partly to buy a car (home equity debt).
Complete lines 1 and 2 of Table 1 by including the separate average balances of any grandfathered debt and home acquisition
debt in your mixed-use mortgage. Do not use the methods described earlier in this section to figure the average balance of
either category. Instead, for each category, use the following method.
-
Figure the balance of that category of debt for each month. This is the amount of the loan proceeds allocated to that category,
reduced by your principal payments on the mortgage previously applied to that category. Principal payments on a mixed-use
mortgage are applied in full to each category of debt, until its balance is zero, in the following order:
-
First, any home equity debt,
-
Next, any grandfathered debt, and
-
Finally, any home acquisition debt.
-
Add together the monthly balances figured in (1).
-
Divide the result in (2) by 12.
Complete line 9 of Table 1 by including the average balance of the entire mixed-use mortgage, figured under one of
the methods described earlier in this section.
Example 1.
In 1986, Sharon took out a $1,400,000 mortgage to buy her main home (grandfathered debt). On March 2, 2008, when the home
had a fair market value of $1,700,000 and she owed $1,100,000 on the mortgage, Sharon took out a second mortgage for $200,000.
She used $180,000 of the proceeds to make substantial improvements to her home (home acquisition debt) and the remaining $20,000
to buy a car (home equity debt). Under the loan agreement, Sharon must make principal payments of $1,000 at the end of each
month. During 2008, her principal payments on the second mortgage totaled $10,000.
To complete Table 1, line 2, Sharon must figure a separate average balance for the part of her second mortgage that is home
acquisition debt. The January and February balances were zero. The March through December balances were all $180,000, because
none of her principal payments are applied to the home acquisition debt. (They are all applied to the home equity debt, reducing
it to $10,000 [$20,000 − $10,000].) The monthly balances of the home acquisition debt total $1,800,000 ($180,000 ×
10). Therefore, the average balance of the home acquisition debt for 2008 was $150,000 ($1,800,000 ÷ 12).
Example 2.
The facts are the same as in Example 1. In 2009, Sharon's January through October principal payments on her second mortgage are applied to the home equity debt,
reducing it to zero. The balance of the home acquisition debt remains $180,000 for each of those months. Because her November
and December principal payments are applied to the home acquisition debt, the November balance is $179,000 ($180,000 − $1,000)
and the December balance is $178,000 ($180,000 − $2,000). The monthly balances total $2,157,000 [($180,000 × 10) + $179,000
+ $178,000]. Therefore, the average balance of the home acquisition debt for 2009 is $179,750 ($2,157,000 ÷ 12).
Figure the average balance for the current year of each mortgage you had on all qualified homes on October 13, 1987 (grandfathered
debt). Add the results together and enter the total on line 1. Include the average balance for the current year for any grandfathered
debt part of a mixed-use mortgage.
Figure the average balance for the current year of each mortgage you took out on all qualified homes after October 13, 1987,
to buy, build, or substantially improve the home (home acquisition debt). Add the results together and enter the total on
line 2. Include the average balance for the current year for any home acquisition debt part of a mixed-use mortgage.
The amount on line 7 cannot be more than the smaller of:
-
$100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately), or
-
The total of each home's fair market value (FMV) reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of its home acquisition debt and
grandfathered debt. Determine the FMV and the outstanding home acquisition and grandfathered debt for each home on the date
that the last debt was secured by the home.
See
Home equity debt limit
under Home Equity Debt, earlier, for more information about fair market value.
Figure the average balance for the current year of each outstanding home mortgage. Add the average balances together and enter
the total on line 9. See
Average Mortgage Balance,
earlier.
Note. When figuring the average balance of a mixed-use mortgage, for line 9 determine the average balance of the entire mortgage.
If you make payments to a financial institution, or to a person whose business is making loans, you should get Form 1098 or
a similar statement from the lender. This form will show the amount of interest to enter on line 10. Also include on this
line any other interest payments made on debts secured by a qualified home for which you did not receive a Form 1098. Do not
include points or mortgage insurance premiums on this line.
Claiming your deductible points.
Figure your deductible points as follows.
-
Figure your deductible points for the current year using the rules explained under Points in Part I.
-
Multiply the amount in item (1) by the decimal amount on line 11. Enter the result on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 10 or 12,
whichever applies. This amount is fully deductible.
-
Subtract the result in item (2) from the amount in item (1). This amount is not deductible as home mortgage interest. However,
if you used any of the loan proceeds for business or investment activities, see the instructions for line 13, later.
Claiming your deductible mortgage insurance premiums.
If your adjusted gross income on Form 1040, line 38, is more than $109,000 ($54,500 if married filing separately),
you cannot deduct your mortgage insurance premiums. Otherwise, figure your deductible mortgage insurance premiums for the
current year using the rules explained under Mortgage Insurance Premiums in Part I. If the amount on Form 1040, line 38, is $100,000 or less ($50,000 or less if married filing separately), enter the full
amount of your qualified mortgage insurance premiums on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 13. If the amount on Form 1040, line
38, is more than $100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately), your deduction is limited. Enter your qualified mortgage
insurance premiums on line 1 of the Qualified Mortgage Insurance Premiums Deduction Worksheet in the instructions for Schedule A (Form 1040) to figure the amount to enter on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 13.
You cannot deduct the amount of interest on line 13 as home mortgage interest. If you did not use any of the proceeds of any
mortgage included on line 9 of the worksheet for business, investment, or other deductible activities, then all the interest
on line 13 is personal interest. Personal interest is not deductible.
If you did use all or part of any mortgage proceeds for business, investment, or other deductible activities, the part of
the interest on line 13 that is allocable to those activities can be deducted as business, investment, or other deductible
expense, subject to any limits that apply. Table 2 shows where to deduct that interest. See Allocation of Interest in chapter 4 of Publication 535 for an explanation of how to determine the use of loan proceeds.
The following two rules describe how to allocate the interest on line 13 to a business or investment activity.
-
If you used all of the proceeds of the mortgages on line 9 for one activity, then all the interest on line 13 is allocated
to that activity. In this case, deduct the interest on the form or schedule to which it applies.
-
If you used the proceeds of the mortgages on line 9 for more than one activity, then you can allocate the interest on line
13 among the activities in any manner you select (up to the total amount of interest otherwise allocable to each activity,
explained next).
You figure the total amount of interest otherwise allocable to each activity by multiplying the amount on line 10 by the following
fraction.
Example.
Don had two mortgages (A and B) on his main home during the entire year. Mortgage A had an average balance of $90,000, and
mortgage B had an average balance of $110,000.
Don determines that the proceeds of mortgage A are allocable to personal expenses for the entire year. The proceeds of mortgage
B are allocable to his business for the entire year. Don paid $14,000 of interest on mortgage A and $16,000 of interest on
mortgage B. He figures the amount of home mortgage interest he can deduct by using Table 1. Since both mortgages are home
equity debt, Don determines that $15,000 of the interest can be deducted as home mortgage interest.
The interest Don can allocate to his business is the smaller of:
-
The amount on Table 1, line 13 of the worksheet ($15,000), or
-
The total amount of interest allocable to the business ($16,500), figured by multiplying the amount on line 10 (the $30,000
total interest paid) by the following fraction.
Because $15,000 is the smaller of items (1) and (2), that is the amount of interest Don can allocate to his business. He deducts
this amount on his Schedule C (Form 1040).
Table 2. Where To Deduct Your Interest Expense
IF you have ...
|
THEN deduct it on ...
|
AND for more information go to ...
|
deductible student loan interest |
Form 1040, line 33, or Form 1040A, line 18 |
Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education. |
deductible home mortgage interest and points reported on Form 1098 |
Schedule A (Form 1040), line 10 |
this publication (936). |
deductible home mortgage interest not reported on Form 1098 |
Schedule A (Form 1040), line 11 |
this publication (936). |
deductible points not reported on Form 1098 |
Schedule A (Form 1040), line 12 |
this publication (936). |
deductible mortgage insurance premiums |
Schedule A (Form 1040), line 13 |
this publication (936). |
deductible investment interest (other than incurred to produce rents or royalties) |
Schedule A (Form 1040), line 14 |
Publication 550, Investment Income and Expenses. |
deductible business interest (non-farm) |
Schedule C or C-EZ (Form 1040) |
Publication 535, Business Expenses. |
deductible farm business interest |
Schedule F (Form 1040) |
Publications 225, Farmer's Tax Guide, and 535. |
deductible interest incurred to produce rents or royalties |
Schedule E (Form 1040) |
Publications 527, Residential Rental Property, and 535. |
personal interest |
not deductible. |
You can get help with unresolved tax issues, order free publications and forms, ask tax questions, and get information from
the IRS in several ways. By selecting the method that is best for you, you will have quick and easy access to tax help.
Contacting your Taxpayer Advocate.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers
who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal
channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should.
You can contact the TAS by calling the TAS toll-free case intake line at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059
to see if you are eligible for assistance. You can also call or write your local taxpayer advocate, whose phone number and
address are listed in your local telephone directory and in Publication 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service—Your Voice at the
IRS. You can file Form 911, Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance (And Application for Taxpayer Assistance Order),
or ask an IRS employee to complete it on your behalf. For more information, go to www.irs.gov/advocate.
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs).
LITCs are independent organizations that provide low-income taxpayers with representation in federal tax controversies
with the IRS for free or for a nominal charge. The clinics also provide tax education and outreach for taxpayers who speak
English as a second language. Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List, provides information on clinics in your area.
It is available at www.irs.gov or your local IRS office.
Free tax services.
To find out what services are available, get Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services. It contains lists of
free tax information sources, including publications, services, and free tax education and assistance programs. It also has
an index of over 100 TeleTax topics (recorded tax information) you can listen to on your telephone.
Accessible versions of IRS published products are available on request in a variety of alternative formats for people
with disabilities.
Free help with your return.
Free help in preparing your return is available nationwide from IRS-trained volunteers. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) program is designed to help low-income taxpayers and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program is designed to
assist taxpayers age 60 and older with their tax returns. Many VITA sites offer free electronic filing and all volunteers
will let you know about credits and deductions you may be entitled to claim. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, call 1-800-829-1040.
As part of the TCE program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program. To find the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call
1-888-227-7669 or visit AARP's website at www.aarp.org/money/taxaide.
For more information on these programs, go to www.irs.gov and enter keyword “ VITA” in the upper right-hand corner.
Internet. You can access the IRS website at www.irs.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to:
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E-file your return. Find out about commercial tax preparation and e-file services available free to eligible taxpayers.
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Check the status of your 2008 refund. Go to www.irs.gov and click on Where's My Refund. Wait at least 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return, or 3 to 4 weeks after mailing a paper
return. If you filed Form 8379 with your return, wait 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically). Have your 2008 tax
return available so you can provide your social security number, your filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of
your refund.
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Download forms, instructions, and publications.
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Order IRS products online.
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Research your tax questions online.
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Search publications online by topic or keyword.
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View Internal Revenue Bulletins (IRBs) published in the last few years.
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Figure your withholding allowances using the withholding calculator online at www.irs.gov/individuals.
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Determine if Form 6251 must be filed by using our Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Assistant.
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Sign up to receive local and national tax news by email.
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Get information on starting and operating a small business.
Phone. Many services are available by phone.
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Ordering forms, instructions, and publications. Call 1-800-829-3676 to order current-year forms, instructions, and publications, and prior-year forms and instructions. You
should receive your order within 10 days.
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Asking tax questions. Call the IRS with your tax questions at 1-800-829-1040.
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Solving problems. You can get face-to-face help solving tax problems every business day in IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. An employee can
explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your account, or help you set up a payment plan. Call your local Taxpayer Assistance
Center for an appointment. To find the number, go to www.irs.gov/localcontacts or look in the phone book under United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.
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TTY/TDD equipment. If you have access to TTY/TDD equipment, call 1-800-829-4059 to ask tax questions or to order forms and publications.
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TeleTax topics. Call 1-800-829-4477 to listen to pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics.
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Refund information. To check the status of your 2008 refund, call 1-800-829-1954 during business hours or 1-800-829-4477 (automated refund information
24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Wait at least 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return, or 3 to
4 weeks after mailing a paper return. If you filed Form 8379 with your return, wait 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically).
Have your 2008 tax return available so you can provide your social security number, your filing status, and the exact whole
dollar amount of your refund. Refunds are sent out weekly on Fridays. If you check the status of your refund and are not given
the date it will be issued, please wait until the next week before checking back.
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Other refund information. To check the status of a prior year refund or amended return refund, call 1-800-829-1954.
Evaluating the quality of our telephone services. To ensure IRS representatives give accurate, courteous, and professional answers, we use several methods to evaluate the quality
of our telephone services. One method is for a second IRS representative to listen in on or record random telephone calls.
Another is to ask some callers to complete a short survey at the end of the call.
Walk-in. Many products and services are available on a walk-in basis.
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Products. You can walk in to many post offices, libraries, and IRS offices to pick up certain forms, instructions, and publications.
Some IRS offices, libraries, grocery stores, copy centers, city and county government offices, credit unions, and office supply
stores have a collection of products available to print from a CD or photocopy from reproducible proofs. Also, some IRS offices
and libraries have the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, Internal Revenue Bulletins, and Cumulative Bulletins available
for research purposes.
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Services. You can walk in to your local Taxpayer Assistance Center every business day for personal, face-to-face tax help. An employee
can explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your tax account, or help you set up a payment plan. If you need to resolve
a tax problem, have questions about how the tax law applies to your individual tax return, or you are more comfortable talking
with someone in person, visit your local Taxpayer Assistance Center where you can spread out your records and talk with an
IRS representative face-to-face. No appointment is necessary—just walk in. If you prefer, you can call your local Center and
leave a message requesting an appointment to resolve a tax account issue. A representative will call you back within 2 business
days to schedule an in-person appointment at your convenience. If you have an ongoing, complex tax account problem or a special
need, such as a disability, an appointment can be requested. All other issues will be handled without an appointment. To find
the number of your local office, go to www.irs.gov/localcontacts or look in the phone book under United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.
Mail. You can send your order for forms, instructions, and publications to the address below. You should receive a response within
10 days after your request is received.
Internal Revenue Service 1201 N. Mitsubishi Motorway Bloomington, IL 61705-6613
DVD for tax products. You can order Publication 1796, IRS Tax Products DVD, and obtain:
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Current-year forms, instructions, and publications.
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Prior-year forms, instructions, and publications.
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Tax Map: an electronic research tool and finding aid.
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Tax law frequently asked questions.
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Tax Topics from the IRS telephone response system.
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Internal Revenue Code—Title 26 of the U.S. Code.
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Fill-in, print, and save features for most tax forms.
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Internal Revenue Bulletins.
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Toll-free and email technical support.
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Two releases during the year. – The first release will ship the beginning of January 2009. – The final release will ship the beginning of March 2009.
Purchase the DVD from National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at www.irs.gov/cdorders for $30 (no handling fee) or call 1-877-233-6767 toll free to buy the DVD for $30 (plus a $5 handling fee). The price is
discounted to $25 for orders placed prior to December 1, 2008.
Small Business Resource Guide 2009. This online guide is a must for every small business owner or any taxpayer about to start a business. This year's guide includes:
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Helpful information, such as how to prepare a business plan, find financing for your business, and much more.
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All the business tax forms, instructions, and publications needed to successfully manage a business.
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Tax law changes for 2009.
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Tax Map: an electronic research tool and finding aid.
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Web links to various government agencies, business associations, and IRS organizations.
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“Rate the Product” survey—your opportunity to suggest changes for future editions.
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A site map of the guide to help you navigate the pages with ease.
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An interactive “Teens in Biz” module that gives practical tips for teens about starting their own business, creating a business plan, and filing taxes.
The information is updated during the year. Visit www.irs.gov and enter keyword “ SBRG” in the upper right-hand corner for more information.
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