Can a cosigner claim mortgage interest if the principle owner is on SSDI & L&I? If cosigner paid 1/2 the payment., will the person receiving SSI and L&I be penalized?

[jincey55]

My partner and I bought a house and 10 acres, (2 5 acre plots), he is on SSDI and L&I as his only income. We are not married, and reside in the house, the monthly payment comes out of his bank account, I pay him $400.00 and pay the electric bill, which totals about half the monthly payment. Can I claim the mortgage interest on the house, as well as my first home, without causing him to be penalized by the IRS, SSDI or L&I. He pays no tax on his income because it is under the taxable limit.

[Opus 17]

If you are a legal owner or co-owner (listed on the deed) then you can claim a deduction for whatever part of the interest you actually paid, for a first home and one second home.  If you paid half the house payment, you would claim half the interest.  If the 1098 form is not in your name, Turbotax has a box to check for "I did not receive a 1098".  

Whether the fact that you help with his expenses will affect his benefits is a subject that is outside of tax returns and not something this board is expert in.  But, the IRS can not share your tax return with anyone else (like his benefits payor) without a court order.