Carl
Level 15

Home loans

It depends on what you used that money for. If used to upgrade/update the property that secures the loan, then it's deductible. If used to fix up a property other than the one that secured the loan, then that property address will be in box 8 of the 1098 and you can deduct the interest of that property.

If box 7 is not checked and no other property is listed in box 8, yet you did "in fact" use it to fix up real estate property, you can still deduct it. But be prepared to prove your claim (usually with receipts) if audited on it.

If you only used part of the funds for real estate, then you can only claim the interest paid on that portion of funds used for that purpose.