Home Ownership Tax Deductions

• Your property taxes. Don’t forget to include any taxes you may have reimbursed the seller for.  These are taxes the seller had already paid before you took ownership. You won’t get a 1098 report listing these taxes. Instead, that amount will be shown on the settlement sheet. Beginning in 2018, state and local taxes, including property taxes, are limited to $10,000 per year.
• The mortgage interest on your primary residence, as well as on a second residence. (There are limits, but relatively few taxpayers are affected.)
• The interest on up to $100,000 borrowed on a home equity loan or home equity line of credit, regardless of the reason for the loan (for tax years prior to 2018 only).
• Points that you paid when you purchased the house (or those that you convinced the seller to pay for you).
• Home improvements required for medical care.

How much can I save?

The actual amount of money you save on your annual income tax bill depends on a variety of factors:

• Your filing status (single, head of household, married filing jointly, married filing separately)
• Your standard deduction amount
• Your other itemized deductions
• Your taxable income

Your home-related itemized deductions, plus your other itemized deductions must add up to more than the standard deduction or they won’t save you any money.

What can’t I deduct?

You can’t deduct the following payments for a personal residence:

• Dues to a homeowners association
• Insurance on your home
• Appraisal fees for your home
• The cost of improvements to your home, except in the relatively rare case where they qualify as a medical expense. (But keep those receipts. They may help reduce your taxes when you sell your home.)

TurboTax will search over 350 deductions to get your maximum refund, guaranteed. If you’re a homeowner, TurboTax Deluxe gives you step-by-step guidance to help turn your biggest investment into your biggest tax break.