Did you
receive a home buyer tax credit and it is time for you to repay it? The Internal Revenue Service has a tool to
help you determine how to handle
repayment on your tax return.
You may
have to pay back the credit if you purchased a house in 2008 and took the
credit, possibly up to $7,500, on your tax return for 2008.
Many who
took the credit didn’t realize that it was a no-interest loan that had to be
repaid over 15 years beginning with the 2010 tax return. Essentially, the government offered a tax
benefit to entice more homeowners to purchase.
These type of strategies are used on businesses to entice them into
coming to a particular community.
Did
you utilize the credit to buy a home “under value” to obtain the credit and
then moved? The IRS is onto that game as
well. You would have to repay the credit
if you bought your home and then sold it or if you still own the home, but it
is not your main home anymore.
Often
stimulus bills and credits come in ways that consumers feel it is free money,
but this is just a reminder that there isn’t a “free lunch,” although some of
the other credits in 2009 and 2010 may not have to be repaid.
Make sure
you stop by Liberty Tax and we will help you determine your specific situation.
David Rocci
Disclaimer: Every effort has been taken to provide the most accurate and honest analysis of the tax information provided in this blog. Please use your discretion before making any decisions based on the information provided. This blog is not intended to be a substitute for seeking professional tax advice based on your individual needs.