Purchase a Home and New Baby in 2021

[cth6]

We purchased our first home and had a new baby in 2021. Is there anything special that we need to prepare or do when filing our taxes? 

[Vanessa A]

Not really anything special, but a few things to watch as you walk through TurboTax.

Be sure that when you enter your baby's information you mark that they have lived with you for the whole year, not just from the month they were born.  This will ensure you get all the tax breaks you are eligible for when you have a qualifying child. 

If you are married filing a joint return, unless you had a lot of medical expenses, your home purchase will probably not affect your taxes very much.  The standard deduction for a married couple filing a joint return is $25,100.  This means, your mortgage interest, property taxes and other itemized expenses would need to be greater than that in order to have an affect on your return. 

[xmasbaby0]

Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number. If your child was born in 2021make sure you said he lived with you the whole year.  There is an oddly worded question that asks if the child paid over half their own support.  Say NO to that question.

The software will automatically put in the child tax credit and 3rd EIP payment for the baby.   But make sure you go through the questions in Federal Review very carefully before you file.

As for the house:

HOMEOWNERSHIP DEDUCTIONS

It is very hard for a lot of people to use itemized deductions now that the standard deduction is so much higher.  Your home ownership may not have any effect on your tax due or refund, especially if you purchased the house late in the year.  

Standard Deduction
Your itemized deductions have to be more than your standard deduction before you will see a change in your tax owed or tax refund.  The deductions you enter do not necessarily count “dollar for dollar;” many of them are subject to meeting  tough thresholds—medical expenses, for example, must meet a threshold that is pretty hard to reach.  The software program uses all the IRS rules that apply to the expenses you enter, and it tells you if you have enough to use your itemized deductions or if using the standard deduction is more advantageous for you.  Under the new tax laws, some deductions have been capped—there is a $10,000 limit to the itemized deductions for state, local, property and sales taxes. 

2021 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS

SINGLE $12,550  (65 or older + $1700)

MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $12,550  (65 or older + $1350)

MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $25,100  (65 or older + $1350 per spouse)

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD  $18,800  (65 or older +$1700)

Legally Blind + $1350

Home Ownership

There is not a first time home buyers credit on a Federal return. That ended in 2010. If your state has such as credit, you will be able to enter it when you prepare your state return.

Buying a home is not a guarantee of a big refund.  Your deductions for homeownership combined with your other deductions (if any) must exceed your standard deduction to change your tax due or refund. If you purchased your home late in the year, you do not even have a full year of home 

ownership deductions.

Your closing costs on your new home are not deductible except for prepaid interest, prepaid property tax or loan origination fees.  There are no deductions for appraisal, inspections, title searches, settlement fees. etc.

Your down payment is not deductible.

Your homeowners insurance for fire, hazard, flood, etc. is not deductible for your own home.

Home improvements, repairs, maintenance, etc. for your own home are not deductible.  

Homeowners Association  (HOA) fees for your own home are not deductible.

Go to Federal> Deductions and Credits> Your Home to enter mortgage interest, property taxes, private mortgage insurance (PMI) and loan origination fees (“points”) that you paid in 2021.  You should have a 1098 from your mortgage lender that shows this information.  Lenders send these in January/early February.