To Buy or Not to Buy: Taking Advantage of the Homebuyer's Tax Credit

/PRNewswire/ -- Despite the extension of the 2009 homebuyer's tax credit to April 30, 2010, and low home prices, potential buyers need to carefully examine their finances before taking the plunge.

"Many people are able to benefit from this tax credit, but that does not always mean buying is a good option for them," said Lindsay Alston, a credit counsellor with CESI Debt Solutions. "You have to look closely at your income to see if the numbers work."

A key rule for homebuyers to remember is that your mortgage, including the principal, interest, taxes, association fees and insurance should never exceed 30 percent of your gross income. A debt-to-income ratio higher than 30 percent indicates that at the end of the year, the amount you are spending on homeownership might exceed what you can afford - and ending up in the red will offset the benefit of owning a home.

"It is the buyer's responsibility to understand the full cost of owning a home - which includes maintenance," said Alston. "It means being responsible for replacing the hot water tank when it dies, or fixing the roof in the event of a fallen tree."

A tax advisor can help house hunters understand the benefits of the tax credit. The credit, which offers 10 percent back on a home's purchase price up to $8,000, will be added to a current tax refund or subtracted from money owed back in taxes. For example, if you already owe $500 in 2009 federal taxes and qualify for a $2,000 homebuyer's credit, you will only see an additional $1,500.

"The tax credit is a great incentive for people who are financially in good shape and planning to buy a new home anyway," said Alston. "But if you don't think you can make the numbers work without it, you should probably wait and continue to save, even if it means missing out on the tax credit."

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Stimulus Bill Shakes Up Tax Planning

/PRNewswire/ -- "The recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contains a long list of tax breaks that come with short-term expiration dates," says Bob D. Scharin, Senior Tax Analyst for the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters. This means taxpayers need to plan now and act soon in order to gain advantage from the legislation. While the provisions are many, explanations are sparse--so guidance from the IRS on how to implement many of the law changes is desperately needed. Here are highlights of the new tax-saving opportunities now available for individuals:

-- The "making work pay credit" provides a $400 ($800 for joint return
filers) tax credit for employees and self-employed individuals. This
credit is refundable--meaning you can get the money even if you owe no
income tax for the year. The credit is intended to reach your pocket
quickly through additions to your pay check. Eligibility for it phases
out, however, starting when your income exceeds $75,000 ($150,000 for
joint return filers). How will employers know whether the phaseout
applies to their employees--especially employees who are married or
who have two jobs? The law does not specify an answer, but if you
receive too much of a credit from your employer, expect to pay it back
when you file your 2009 income tax return.

-- Get a sales tax deduction for car purchases. The sales tax on up to
$49,500 of the purchase price is deductible regardless of whether you
(1) claim the standard deduction or (2) itemize your deductions and
choose to deduct state and local income taxes instead of sales tax.
The deduction begins to phase out, however, when income exceeds
$125,000 ($250,000 on a joint return).

-- The first-time homebuyer credit is enlarged and improved. The credit
for first-time homebuyers in part of 2008 is capped at $7,500 and has
to be repaid over 15 years. For the first 11 months of 2009, the
maximum credit is increased to $8,000 and repayment is not required
unless you sell the home or stop using it as your main residence
within three years. Here too, a phaseout provision applies if your
income exceeds $75,000 ($150,000 for joint returns). The credit for
2009 purchases can be claimed on your 2008 return. Should the form for
the 2008 credit be used to do so? Homebuyers need guidance from the
IRS quickly regarding the mechanics of claiming it.

-- The energy credit gets another life. Previously, you could claim an
aggregate "lifetime" credit amount of up to $500 for making certain
energy-efficient improvements to your home. For 2009 and 2010, the
credit computation is more generous, and the aggregate ceiling for the
two years is $1,500.

-- The mass transit benefit exclusion is bulked up. Previously, you could
exclude from income up to $120 per month of mass transit benefits
provided by your employer (or funded with pre-tax employee
contributions). Thanks to the new law, the figure rises to $230
starting generally in March 2009 and through 2010.

-- The Hope Scholarship credit is expanded in size and availability in a
variety of ways. Prior to the new law, the Hope Scholarship credit was
generally capped at $1,800 and available for only the first two years
of post-secondary education. The new American Opportunity tax credit
amends the Hope Scholarship credit for 2009 and 2010, raising the
credit maximum to $2,500 and its availability to the first four years
of post-secondary education. Furthermore, among other beneficial
changes, the income level at which the credit begins phasing out rises
too--from $50,000 ($100,000 for joint return filers) to $80,000
($160,000 for joint return filers).

-- Alternative minimum tax (AMT) relief has come early in the year. AMT
"patches," raising the AMT exemption amounts have become a year-end
ritual. This created anxiety and complicated tax planning, however,
for many individuals until that year's fix was in. For 2009, we
already know that the patch is sewn up. The AMT exemption rises to
$46,700 for unmarried individuals ($70,950 for joint return filers)
from $46,200 ($69,950 on joint returns) in 2008. If a patch were not
enacted, however, the 2008 amounts would not have applied in 2009;
rather, the way the Internal Revenue Code is written, the AMT
exemption amount would have dropped to $33,750 ($45,000 on joint
returns).



"The expiration dates on these provisions require taxpayers to watch the calendar." Scharin observes. For instance, purchasing a home after the first-time homebuyer credit expires can be an $8,000 mistake.

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