My girlfriend and I own a home together. Who should claim the house?

[AnnetteB6 · Accepted solution]

In most cases, you do have to be listed on the mortgage as an owner to be able to deduct mortgage interest, but there is an exception.  

Take a look at the following TurboTax help article for more details.  The exception is covered in the last bullet point.

How do I deduct mortgage interest if I co-owned the home?
 

@aRTie19 

[Tyst9999]

Following along on this thread, Are you able to change your co-ownership% each year? if you claim 50/50 one year can you claim 80/20 the next year for ex. 

[MarilynG1]

If both names are on the deed, you can claim ownership % between yourselves however you agree.

However, you should probably be consistent when dividing up expenses, though; stick with 50/50 or 80/20 and not change from year to year. 

[Jchow88]

Similarly, my partner and I are single and unmarried and both of our names are listed on the mortgage and the home. He makes slightly more than me and is paid on a K1 while I’m paid on a w2. 

We haven’t started paying our 1st mortgage payment yet but it’s coming up. Our mortgage servicer only allows one monthly payment or a biweekly payment but all from one account as autopay and not from two separate bank accounts. The servicer allows manual monthly payments from two bank accounts. 

Would you recommend we set up a joint account to split our monthly mortgage payments, or would you recommend that each of us alternate monthly payments from each of our own bank accounts? Or does where the money come from not matter?

[BW05]

Great question!  Did you ever get an answer?  I’m wondering same. 

[RobertB4444]

This question has been answered pretty thoroughly above but to reiterate-

You and your partner can divide the deduction on your individual taxes however you want to as long as both of you are on the mortgage.  Since you're both filing single one of you can take it or you can split it 50/50 or 75/25 or whatever.  Just be consistent from year to year and don't try to have both of you take the same deduction.

@BW05