Can my boyfriend and I both claim our home in taxes?

My boyfriend and I bought a mobile home for our primary residence this year. Since we are not married we cannot file jointly. Who would claim the home and lot rent if we are both on the mortgage?

Deductions & credits

You can not claim home or lot rent.  That is not a deduction. You can divide the mortgage interest and property tax payments between your tax returns in any proportion that you both agree on.

rjs
Level 15
Level 15

Deductions & credits

You each deduct the amount of mortgage interest that you actually paid individually.


Home insurance is not deductible. If you have mortgage insurance, that is deductible. Each of you can deduct the premiums that you actually paid individually.


These deductions are itemized deductions. They will not make any difference in your tax unless your total itemized deductions are more than your standard deduction.

 

Hal_Al
Level 15

Deductions & credits

Unmarried couples claiming mortgage interest and real estate tax deductions.  Lot rent is not deductible. 

 

You pretty much have a choice. One can claim it all or you can split it. It's usually best if only one claims it, allowing the other to use the standard deduction.  

You have to meet the rules, which are:

  1. You are legally obligated to pay it
  2. You actually pay it. Paying from a joint account where you made sufficient deposits to cover the payments will usually meet this standard. However. paying from your own account would be a stronger audit defense. 

The standard deduction was doubled starting in 2018; so there's a good chance you don't have even enough deductions to itemize.  Essentially, you must have more than $12,400 ($12,550 for 2021) in total itemized deductions to see any benefit from itemizing. Mortgage interest and real estate tax  are only deductible as itemized deductions. 

Deductions & credits

For many people, both taking the standard deduction will result in a bigger refund.