Fiscal Cliff Deal Benefits for Home Owners

Homeowners fare well in the fiscal cliff deal passed by the Senate and House on Jan. 1. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 apparently extends a law that expired at the end of 2011, which allowed for the deductability of mortgage insurance (MI) premiums, according to a research report from Isaac Boltansky with Compass Point Research & Trading. The law now applies to fiscal years 2012 and 2013. “The law dictates that eligible borrowers who itemize their federal tax returns and have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $100,000 per year can deduct 100% of their annual MI premiums,” Compass Point said. “Certain borrowers with AGIs above $100,000 may benefit from the deductability as well but are subject to a sliding scale. The tax break covers private MI as well FHA MI and VA and Rural Housing Service fees. In 2009, about 3.6 million taxpayers claimed the MI deduction,” the research firm added.

January News from The Mitch White Agency & Northbay Home Loans