Honey, I Eliminated The Mortgage Interest Deduction Plan 2

by

Dan Lewis

A bipartisan committee has made two recommendations to President Bush regarding tax reform. In this article, we take a look at the second option.

Tax Reform

A year ago or so, President Bush decided to spend his political capitol on tax reform and fixing social security. Social security reform went down in flames, so now it is time to see if tax reform is an option.

In an effort to eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, the committee was charged with coming up with alternative revenue sources. The biggest deduction on the books is the mortgage interest deduction and the committee has offered two plans. The first puts a cap on the deduction and would be a disaster. The second option, however, is very interesting.

The committee on tax reform has recommended a unique approach to eliminating the mortgage interest deduction entirely. Before you go ballistic, consider what they are replacing it with.

In this second option, a homeowner would be unable to deduct any mortgage interest. They would, however, be able to claim a tax credit equal to fifteen percent of the interest paid up to an undefined mortgage cap. While that is a lot of jargon, the key is the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit.

A tax deduction is reduced from your overall income. If you earn $80,000 and pay $10,000 in interest, your taxable income will be reduced to $60,000. It looks good, but it doesnt make as big a difference in the actual tax you pay. A tax credit, however, is a different story.

A tax credit is an amount deducted from the actual amount of tax you have to pay each year. Assume you whip together your taxes and owe $10,000 to the IRS after claiming all your deductions and checking the tax owed chart. Under the tax reform plan, you would total the interest paid for the year and then reduce your tax owed by 15 percent. If you paid $10,000 in interest during the year, you would take a tax credit of $1,500 against the tax owed. In short, this would reduce the check you have to send in from $10,000 to $8,500.

The tax credit plan offered by the tax reform committee is very interesting. It could be windfall for some people. Apply the numbers to your 2004 taxes and see how you come out.

Dan Lewis is a mortgage broker with http://www.gwhomeloans.com – San Diego mortgage brokers providing home loans and refinances. Visit http://gwhomeloans.com/services.html to learn more about options for San Diego mortgages.

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Honey, I Eliminated The Mortgage Interest Deduction Plan 2}

The Most Commonly Overlooked Tax Deductions

by

roni deutch

1. Mortgage Insurance Premiums

Although most people remember to deduct mortgage interest they paid, many forget that mortgage insurance premiums are also deductible. In order to qualify, the policy must be for a debt used to purchase a first or second home. This deduction was due to expire at the end of last year, but was extended through 2011 as part of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.

2. Out-of-Pocket Educator Expenses

Another tax benefit that was extended at the last minute is the deduction available to teachers and educators who make out-of-pocket expenses, up to $250. You can read more about this deduction in this blog entry I posted earlier in the year.

3. Unreimbursed Job Expenses

If you have to make a purchase for work, you may qualify to deduct those expenses on your tax return. However, the IRS considers only specific expenses allowable, and they must be considered ordinary and necessary. To find out more about this deduction read this article on the RDTC Tax Help Blog.

4. Student Loan Interest

If you paid interest on a student loan for your own, your spouses or your dependents education, you may be able to deduct up to $2,500 worth of interest. This deduction is considered above-the-line, so you can claim it even if you do not itemize. Just keep in mind that there are strict income limits for this deduction in 2011.If you make more than $75,000 for single filers or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly, you may not be able to claim it.

5. State Tax Deduction

Remember that you can deduct your state income or sales taxes on your federal return. The deduction has been extended through 2011, so be sure to keep track of all state and local taxes you pay. To determine if you should claim your income or sales taxes paid you can use this calculator at IRS.gov.

6. Qualifying Legal Fees

Most fees paid to an attorney are not considered deductible. However, there are a few exceptions such as fees paid to an attorney related to a class action suit, estate tax advice, and alimony collection expenses paid to a lawyer. However, the deduction is subject to the 2% miscellaneous deduction limit.

7. Alimony Payments

Speaking of alimony, if you are required to make alimony payments, you may be able to deduct them on your tax return. You will need to file an itemized return, and must meet a few IRS qualifications. For more information, you can find details about the deduction in this article on the RDTC Tax Help Blog.

The Tax Lady Roni Deutch and her law firm

Roni Deutch, A Professional Tax Corporation

have been helping taxpayers across the nation find IRS tax relief for over seventeen years. The firm also recently began offering

bankruptcy filing representation

to residents to Northern California.

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The Most Commonly Overlooked Tax Deductions}