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[H821]How Tax Deductions Work

by Rateempire, Rat

When you understand the way a tax deduction works, you should be able to estimate the amount of tax relief you would receive from owning your own home and paying a mortgage.

First, you need to know what is deductible. In many cases, homeowners are allowed to deduct the amount of mortgage interest paid from their income. They are also able to deduct the amount of real estate property taxes paid on the property.

For example, we have a homeowner and a renter who both make the same annual income of $60,000.

The renter pays $1,000 a month in rent and receives no tax benefits for renting a home.

The homeowner holds a $140,000 fixed rate mortgage with a 7% interest rate. His total mortgage payment is $1,100 a month. He pays $1,500 in real estate property taxes. His total mortgage interest paid for this tax year was $9,755.

Here's where the taxes make a difference. The owner is able to deduct $11,255 from his income before he calculates his tax liability. The renter has no deduction from his income and is taxed on $11,255 more than the owner.

Let's keep it simple and assume that both are in a 25% tax bracket. The renter will owe the IRS $15,000 in taxes on his income of $60,000. The owner's taxable income has been reduced to $48,745 after his deductions. He only owes $12,186 in income taxes. The owner saves $2,814 in taxes each year. That's a savings of $234 each month.

Basically, the homeowner's after-tax monthly payment is actually $866. The renter is still paying $1,000. The homeowner gets to keep his house in the end.

There are many variables that can affect the amount of mortgage interest you pay in any given year. But, you could often say that you can take 20% off of your mortgage payment to get a rough idea of the tax benefits of owning.

Ask your lender. A good loan officer should be able to give you a reasonable estimate of your mortgage interest and tax payments over a given period of time. Many lenders will give you a schedule when you close on your home.

When it comes to determining your tax bracket and deductions, ask your CPA or tax attorney for advice. Your loan officer can't really help you with tax details.

The bottom line is that owning your own home has many financial advantages. If you are tired of spending your paycheck on rent, but getting nowher, home ownership may prove to be a more affordable solution for you.

Here are some of the typical deductions that you want to make sure your tax preparer knows about so you get the write-off.

2007 Mileage Deductions

Business Mileage 48.5-cents per mile
Charitable Work Mileage 14-cents per mile
Medical & Moving Mileage 20-cents per mile

Dependent Education Expenses

There are two tax credits available to help you offset the costs of higher education by reducing the amount of your income tax. They are the Hope Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, also referred to as education credits.

To learn about these credits, who can claim them, what expenses qualify, and more, visit the website www.irs.gov and in the search bar type in either “child education expenses” or “Publication 970.”

For dependents in daycare through middle school, deductible expenses do not include tuition. However, after-school care expenses and a few other types of expenses are deductible. Ask your tax preparer for advice and be prepared to supply the name, address and federal tax ID number or social security number of the care provider as this information is needed on the tax return.

For each dependent, your tax preparer will need the child's full name, date of birth and social security number.

Schedule A Itemized Deductions

If your itemized deductions exceed your standard deduction, then you are allowed to take the greater of the two. Here are the standard deductions for 2007.

$5,350 – Single or Married filing Separately
$10,700 – Married filing jointly or qualified widow(er)
$7,850 – Head of Household

Here is a partial list of Schedule A deductions – for details visit the website www.irs.gov and in the search bar type in “schedule A” and look at the instruction form:

1. Mileage (not claimed as business mileage on another form)
2. Medical expenses
3. Charitable Contributions (there are new record keeping rules that apply for cash donations)
4. Mortgage Insurance premiums for contracts issued after December 31, 2006 (this is NEW for 2007!)
5. Mortgage Interest & Points
6. Real Estate Property Taxes (on residences not used for business or rental)
7. Sales tax you paid on retail purchases
8. Investment interest on money borrowed for a property held for investment
9. Job expenses you paid as an employee (if you were not reimbursed and if you are not filing Form 2106)
10. Tax preparation fees paid to a professional tax preparer

Schedule E Deductions for Rental Properties

If you own rental properties then the income and deductions go on Schedule E. Here are the deductions you can take on rental properties.

Here is a partial list of Schedule E deductions you can take on rental properties - for details visit the website www.irs.gov and in the search bar type in “schedule E.”

1. Advertising
2. Auto & Travel
3. Cleaning & Maintenance
4. Commissions
5. Legal & Other Professional Fees
6. Management Fees
7. Mortgage Interest
8. Other Interest
9. Repairs
10. Supplies
11. Property Taxes
12. Utilities

While we must pay some taxes, it's smart to use a professional tax preparer and be sure you are getting the maximum allowable deductions to reduce your tax bill. There are other deductions available if you have them, but these are the most common.

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Rateempire has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Diamonds and Mortgage. Rate Empire, an internet consumer banking and http://www.rateempire.com/mortgagerates.html">mortgage rates marketplace, is a destination site of per. Rateempire's top article generates over 18100 views. Bookmark Rateempire to your Favourites.

Sandra Simmons has sinced written about articles on various topics from tax, Debt Reduction Consolidation and Tax Deductions. Sandra Simmons, President of Money Management Solutions has years of experience helping business owners and individuals manage their money to achieve financial freedom. Watch the FREE 5-minute demo video on her website. Sandra Simmons's top article generates over 3600 views. Bookmark Sandra Simmons to your Favourites.