Are home energy credits Income Based?

[dfidd]

Going through the home energy credits and we made improvements with qualifying furnace and water heater purchases and turbo tax showed we were due $1200 in tax credits.  When I got to end of deductions and credits section and shows comparison of taxes from 2022 and 2023 is shows 0 for home energy credits.  Are they income based ie don't receive them above a certain income level?  

[Vanessa A · Accepted solution]

No, there is not a limit to your income to receive the home energy credit.  The Home Energy Credits are  nonrefundable credits. This means, even if you qualify based on your purchase, if you do not have enough tax liability, you cannot claim the credit this year.  The Home Improvement Energy Efficient Credit for windows is a use it or lose it credit.  This means if you do not have enough tax liability this year, then you lose the credit as it cannot be carried forward.

Look at line 16 on your 1040, then also look at line 24. If the amount on line 16 is less than the full credit, then this is the maximum amount of the credit you use this year will be that number.  If you have other credits, that may also reduce the tax liability, this may also reduce the amount of the credit you receive.  

If you do have enough tax liability, then look at  form 5695 to see if you actually did get the credit,  The summary screen is not always fully inclusive.