I had a company come in and install solar panels to my house. After one year, I should receive a rebate check. Am I still able to apply for the solar credit on my taxes?

Yes, you would still be able to claim the Solar Tax Credit.  Why does it take a year?  Are they "paying" you for something like allowing them to use your home as a model home or something? 

 

Assuming this is coming from the company itself as a manufacturer rebate and not as payment for services, you can only claim the amount you paid minus rebates for the credit.  Since the rebate was not instant, you have 2 options.

1. You can deduct the amount of the rebate now when you claim the credit.  Ex. You paid $30,000 for the panels, your expected rebate is $4,000, you would enter $26,000 as the amount paid to claim the credit, or,
2. You enter the full $30,000 or whatever you paid this year and then when you get the rebate you amend your 2023 return to deduct the rebate and make an adjustment to the credit.  This would be best if you are not sure you will get the rebate.  

The Residential Energy Credit is also a non-refundable credit, however this one can be carried forward to future tax years until this credit goes away which is currently set to happen in 2034

This credit is worth up to 30% of the cost of the equipment, with no maximum limit.  The items that fall into this category are as follows:

• Geothermal Heat Pumps
• Small Wind Turbines
• Solar Energy Systems
• Fuel Cells
• Battery Storage Technology

This credit can be taken for new construction

 

To enter these credits into TurboTax take the following steps:

• Federal
• Deductions and Credits
• I'll Choose what I work on
• Home Energy Credits which is under the "Your Home" category

 

"When calculating your credit, you may need to subtract subsidies, rebates, or other financial incentives from your qualified property expenses because they're considered a purchase price adjustment.

Public utility subsidies for buying or installing clean energy property are subtracted from qualified expenses. This is true whether the subsidy comes directly to you or to a contractor on your behalf. However, utility payments for clean energy you sell back to the grid, such as net metering credits, don't affect your qualified expenses.

Rebates are subtracted from qualified expenses if all of these apply:

• The rebate is based on the cost of the property
• It comes from someone connected to the sale such as the manufacturer, distributor, seller or installer
• It isn't given as payment for services you provide"  Energy Credits