You can deduct home mortgage interest on the first $750,000 ($375,000 if married filing separately) of indebtedness. However, higher limitations ($1 million ($500,000 if married filing separately)) apply if you are deducting mortgage interest from indebtedness incurred before December 16, 2017.
If the loan is not a secured debt on your home, it is considered a personal loan, and the interest you pay usually isn't deductible. Your home mortgage must be secured by your main home or a second home. You can't deduct interest on a mortgage for a third home, a fourth home, etc.
Taxpayers can deduct the interest paid on first and second mortgages up to $1,000,000 in mortgage debt (the limit is $500,000 if married and filing separately). Any interest paid on first or second mortgages over this amount is not tax deductible.
So if you have a mortgage, keep good records — the interest you're paying on your home loan could help cut your tax bill. As noted, in general you can deduct the mortgage interest you paid during the tax year on the first $1 million of your mortgage debt for your primary home or a second home.
You Don't Itemize Your Deductions
If you don't itemize, you get no deduction. You should itemize only if your total itemized deductions exceed the applicable standard deduction for the year.
Income Phaseout
There is an income threshold where once breached, every $100 over minimizes your mortgage interest deduction. That level is roughly $200,000 per individual and $400,000 per couple for 2021.
Property Taxes
As a homeowner, you'll face property taxes at a state and local level. You can deduct up to $10,000 of property taxes as a married couple filing jointly – or $5,000 if you are single or married filing separately. Depending on your location, the property tax deduction can be very valuable.
Homeowners insurance is typically not tax deductible, but there are other deductions you can claim as long as you keep track of your expenses and itemize your taxes each year.
You can deduct what you paid in property taxes throughout the year when you file your federal income tax return. This tax break reduces the amount of tax you owe, and it can even help you qualify for a refund.
Premiums for company health insurance are not tax-deductible. Employers deduct premium payments from your paycheck on a pretax basis. Since your employee contributions are already taking advantage of tax savings, you can't deduct them again on your return.
Taxpayers have been able to deduct PMI in the past, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act extended the deduction into 2020 and 2021. The deduction is subject to qualified taxpayers' AGI limits and begins phasing out at $100,000 and ends at those with an AGI of $109,000 (regardless of filing status).
If you itemize your taxes, you can usually deduct your closing costs in the year in which you closed on your home. If you close on your home in 2021, you can deduct these costs on your 2021 taxes.
Do you own a home? For most people who itemize, having a mortgage helps push their itemized deductions higher than the available standard deduction. In January, your mortgage lender should provide you with Form 1098 (Mortgage Interest Statement).
What Is The Mortgage Interest Deduction? The mortgage interest deduction is a tax incentive for homeowners. This itemized deduction allows homeowners to count interest they pay on a loan related to building, purchasing or improving their primary home against their taxable income, lowering the amount of taxes they owe.
To maximize your mortgage interest tax deduction, utilize all your itemized deductions so they exceed the standard income tax deduction allowed by the Internal Revenue Service.
If your adjusted gross income (AGI) is over $100,000, then the PMI deduction begins to phase out. Between $100,000 and $109,000 in AGI, the amount of PMI you can claim is reduced by 10% for each $1,000 in increased income. Once you hit $109,000 in AGI, you are no longer eligible to claim a PMI tax deduction.
Key takeaways: Medicare expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income may be deductible. Only expenses that are considered allowable by the IRS, such as Medicare premiums and annual physical exams, can be deducted. Keep your receipts and plan ahead to maximize your tax deductions.
Medicare expenses, including Medicare premiums, can be tax deductible. You can deduct all medical expenses that are more than 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.
Itemized deductions include amounts you paid for state and local income or sales taxes, real estate taxes, personal property taxes, mortgage interest, and disaster losses. You may also include gifts to charity and part of the amount you paid for medical and dental expenses.
Here's what it boils down to: If your standard deduction is less than your itemized deductions, you probably should itemize and save money. If your standard deduction is more than your itemized deductions, it might be worth it to take the standard and save some time.