2009 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

The following is a breakdown of the 2009 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit that Congress recently passed.

How Does the Tax Credit Work?

• If you owe $5,000 in taxes, the credit eliminates your tax liability, and you’ll receive $3,000 back (assuming you bought a house worth more than $80,000; it is 10% of the purchase price up to $8,000).
• If you have no tax liability, you get $8,000.
• If you are due a refund of $1,000, you get $9,000 total back. Please consult your tax advisor regarding your specific situations.
• If you utilize revenue bond financing, you can use the tax credit.
• You cannot buy your home from a close relative such as a spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
• It can be claimed on your 2008 Tax Return (to be filed by April 15, 2009), an amended 2008 Tax Return, or your 2009 Tax Return
• Best of all, there’s no repayment as long as you don’t sell the home within three years of purchase. If you choose to do so, the entire amount of credit is due back to the government at the time of sale.
  

Qualifications

• You must be a first-time homebuyer. If you (and your spouse, if filing jointly) haven’t owned a principal residence in the past 3 years, you qualify.
• You must purchase a single-family home that will be your primary residence (meaning you spend 50% or more of your time there) between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2009. This includes condos, townhouses and co-ops.
• It must also be in the U.S.
• The full amount of credit is available for individuals with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 on a joint return). It begins phasing out after those numbers and completely disappears at income levels of $95,000 and $170,000 on a joint return.

Partial Credit Charts

As previously explained, if your income falls between $75,000 and $95,000 (single) or $150,000 and $170,000 (married), you may qualify for a partial tax credit. If you qualify for a partial credit, check out the below graphs to see how much credit you can potentially receive based on your income.

For more details on the tax credit and to begin the search for your new home, contact a local agent today!