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Not applicable
posted Mar 17, 2023 8:31:17 PM

IRS Pub 936 — multiple mortgages each exceeding deduction limit

 

IRS Publication 936 ("Home Mortgage Interest Deduction") has a worksheet (Table 1) that helps you calculate how much of your mortgage is tax deductible.  However, if you have a number of mortgages for your primary home and whatever you declare as your second home, the way it assumes the calculation doesn't make entire sense.

 

As an example:

 

  • Home 1 has a Mortgage 1 taken out on it.
  • Home 2 has a Mortgage 2 taken out on it.  Home 2 was purchased using the proceeds of both Mortgages.
  • Home 1 was sold, and Mortgage 1 was paid off.
  • All of this happened in the same calendar year (let's say 2022).
  • Let's say both mortgages each recorded an average balance of USD1.5M (so we're apples-to-apples there).
  • Mortgage 1 accrued $80,000 of interest at a much higher interest rate than Mortgage 2, where Mortgage 2 accrued $40,000 of interest.

The example presents a situation where either mortgage would far exceed the maximum $750,000 mortgage limit, and either would be sufficient for maxing out the deduction.  But the language in Table I and the Publication seems to imply that you have to take all mortgages into calculation.  This is a problem:

 

  • Per Table I, Mortgage 1 on its own would allow $40,000 of deductible home mortgage interest (750K/1.5M = .5 * 80K).
  • Per Table I, Mortgage 2 on its own would allow $20,000 of deductible home mortgage interest (750K/1.5M = .5 * 40K).
  • Both Mortgages together would allow only $30,000 of deductible home mortgage interest (750K/3.0M = .25 * 120K).
  • Effectively, Mortgage 2 is watering down the calculation, I would say unnecessarily.

So my question is: are we required to follow the implication that all of the Mortgages must be in the calculation and reported that way?

 

More specifically — and ultimately my direct question — do taxpayers have the choice to only report Mortgage 1 and subsequently get the $40,000 of deductible home mortgage interest instead of $30,000?

 

(Secondarily, as the taxpayer, don't we ultimately have the power to declare what we want to declare as a deduction?)

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1 Best answer
Expert Alumni
Mar 18, 2023 8:32:16 PM

We need a bit more information.

 

When you say that home 2 was purchased using the proceeds from BOTH mortgages, the interest on Mortgage 1 may not be allowed at all.

You cannot borrow on one house to purchase another and claim the interest. 

 

The interest paid on the Mortgage on home 1 can only be claimed if the loan was taken to purchase (or build or improve) THAT #1 home. 

If you owned Home 1 and then took out a mortgage (so that you could buy house #2) the interest is not qualified. 

2 Replies
Expert Alumni
Mar 18, 2023 8:32:16 PM

We need a bit more information.

 

When you say that home 2 was purchased using the proceeds from BOTH mortgages, the interest on Mortgage 1 may not be allowed at all.

You cannot borrow on one house to purchase another and claim the interest. 

 

The interest paid on the Mortgage on home 1 can only be claimed if the loan was taken to purchase (or build or improve) THAT #1 home. 

If you owned Home 1 and then took out a mortgage (so that you could buy house #2) the interest is not qualified. 

Not applicable
Mar 18, 2023 10:00:22 PM

Thanks for your quick response, particularly on a weekend!

 

It appears that you hit it exactly, @KrisD15, even without any more information.  I ended up trying to just follow instructions, including filling out the worksheet including all of my mortgage debt as required, and following the TurboTax guided entry.  It asked me questions very specifically about how much of each mortgage was used for its own secured property.  So it appears I ended up with what's expected.