Financial Answer Center
- Introduction
- Getting into a Different Type of Loan
- Comparing Refinancing Loans
- When Does It Make Financial Sense to Refinance?
- Rate versus Point Comparison
- The Process of Refinancing
- What Can You Deduct on Your Tax Return?
There are some special tax rules with regard to what costs can be deducted in connection with a refinancing. Let's see what tax breaks you'll get from Uncle Sam.
Interest and Points
Depending on how you refinance, there are several different ways the interest and points on the loan are treated for income tax purposes.
|
Motive |
Interest |
Points |
|
You simply refinance the balance of your original mortgage (you don't borrow any additional cash). |
All the interest you pay on the loan is tax-deductible (for loans up to $750,000.) |
Points must be deducted equally each year over the term of the loan. |
|
You take out additional cash for reasons other than to make capital improvements to your home. |
The interest is tax deductible only if used to “build, buy or substantially improve” the home that secures the loan. |
Points must be deducted equally each year over the term of the loan. If your loan exceeds $100,000, the deductibility of the points may be limited. |
|
You borrow additional cash above the principal balance of your original mortgage to make capital improvements to your home. The loan is secured by your principal residence. |
You can deduct the interest on up to $750,,000 of debt. (If you are married filing separately, the limit is reduced to $375,000.) |
The points generally can be deductible in the year of the refinance.* Exception: if only a portion of the loan is used for the improvements, only the portion of the points related to the improvements is deductible in the year of the refinancing. The remaining points are required to be deducted equally each year over the term of the loan. |
* If you finance the points, they cannot be deducted in the year of the refinance, but are deducted equally each year over the term of the loan.
What happens if this is your second refinance and you still have points left over from the first refinance that have not yet been fully deducted? You are able to deduct the remaining balance of the points in the year of the subsequent refinance.
This information should give you an idea of what's tax-deductible and what's not. You consult your tax professional to clarify anything you don't understand and to verify that the information is still valid under current law. Keep in mind that tax laws are always subject to change, and that the tax information provided here could change at any time.
