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Level 2
February 18, 2021
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Mortgage Points Paid

  • February 18, 2021
  • 1 reply
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  • I'm completing taxes for 2020 and my form 1098 has Points Paid in box 6 for home I purchased in 2020 and paid points up front. Turbo Tax does not ask for box 6 points amount and I do not see where to enter amount to claim this deduction. I am not paying points over life of loan as I paid them at closing. The software is not asking for this but I want to enter it. Thank you.
    Best answer by Cynthiad66

    Please try this.

     

    Points on Loans on New Loans: You will want to enter a separate 1098 to cover these points paid. When prompted, enter 0.00 for Boxes 1, 2, 5, and the Property (real estate) taxes box, and checkbox 7, as you’ve already entered the details on your first 1098. For Box 3, add the date in 2020 when the loan originate

     

    You can deduct points for your main home, if all of the following conditions apply:

    • They're discount points (see the definition)
    • The mortgage is used to buy, build, or improve the home, and the home is the collateral for the loan
    • Paying mortgage points is a customary practice in your area and the points you paid aren't excessive for your neighborhood
    • The points were paid directly to the lender, either by you or the seller (no borrowing)
    • Your down payment, plus any points the seller paid, exceed the points paid amount
    • You use the cash method of accounting (almost all taxpayers do)
    • The points are calculated as a percentage of the mortgage principal (not required on home-improvement loans)
    • The points are clearly itemized on your settlement statement as points (not required on home-improvement loans)

    If you meet all the above criteria, you can either deduct all your points in the year you paid them or deduct them in equal increments over the life of the loan. Either way, you'll need to itemize to get the deduction.

    The deduction for mortgage interest is capped at $750,000 of debt. Interest on up to $1 million of acquisition debt for loans prior to December 15, 2017 is grandfathered.

    1 reply

    Level 14
    February 18, 2021

    Please try this.

     

    Points on Loans on New Loans: You will want to enter a separate 1098 to cover these points paid. When prompted, enter 0.00 for Boxes 1, 2, 5, and the Property (real estate) taxes box, and checkbox 7, as you’ve already entered the details on your first 1098. For Box 3, add the date in 2020 when the loan originate

     

    You can deduct points for your main home, if all of the following conditions apply:

    • They're discount points (see the definition)
    • The mortgage is used to buy, build, or improve the home, and the home is the collateral for the loan
    • Paying mortgage points is a customary practice in your area and the points you paid aren't excessive for your neighborhood
    • The points were paid directly to the lender, either by you or the seller (no borrowing)
    • Your down payment, plus any points the seller paid, exceed the points paid amount
    • You use the cash method of accounting (almost all taxpayers do)
    • The points are calculated as a percentage of the mortgage principal (not required on home-improvement loans)
    • The points are clearly itemized on your settlement statement as points (not required on home-improvement loans)

    If you meet all the above criteria, you can either deduct all your points in the year you paid them or deduct them in equal increments over the life of the loan. Either way, you'll need to itemize to get the deduction.

    The deduction for mortgage interest is capped at $750,000 of debt. Interest on up to $1 million of acquisition debt for loans prior to December 15, 2017 is grandfathered.

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    MotoriderAuthor
    Level 2
    February 18, 2021

    Thank you Cynthia. Appreciate the immediate help with this!