Can I write off property tax?

[canales-peter]

I pay the property tax at my grandmothers house. She is no longer alive so I am taking care of the property.

[EricG1]

You may be able to deduct property or real estate property taxes as long as you only use the property for personal use, and also itemize your deductions.

Deduct it for your:

• Main home
• Vacation homes
• Land
• Foreign property

 You can't deduct it for:

• Property you don’t own
• Rental property or business property (claim it as an expense, not a deduction) 
• Local improvements, like streets or sidewalks
• Trash collection, library taxes, or anything else not directly related to property value

Some more important info: 

• Be sure to claim the deduction in the year you made the payment. So if you paid your 2017 property tax on December 14, 2016, claim it on your 2016 return.
• If you pay it with your mortgage, you can only deduct it after your lender has paid it on your behalf
• Co-op members: Only claim your share of the amount paid by the corporation
• Multiple owners: Split the deduction by what each person paid
• School taxes are deductible only if they are based on the assessed value of your property

To enter the real estate taxes I paid:

If it's for rental property you own, your real estate taxes are entered along with your other rental expenses. See these instructions

Otherwise, you'll enter them in the Deductions & Credits section:

1. Open (continue) your tax return.
   (To do this, sign in to TurboTax and click the orange Take me to my return button.)
2. In the search box, search for the exact phrase real estate, taxes (include the comma and space) and then click the "Jump to" link in the search results.
3. Answer Yes to the question Did you pay property taxes in 2016?
4. Enter your real estate taxes on the next screen.

Tip: If you own additional properties for personal use (for example, a cabin or timeshare), make sure to include the real estate payments for those as well. 

Related Information:

• Where can I find out how much real estate tax I paid?
• What's the difference between real estate tax, property tax, and personal property tax?