Stimulus Plan "real " numbers?

Profile picture for avoeman
I'm curious about the real numbers, or real saving of this.  My family and i want to buy our first home within a year.  So if there is a 15K tax credit.  Does that mean at 30% income taxes...I would be getting 5K "back"?  Also...how does writing your interest of your morgage work?  If our $1500 morgage payment..if $1200 was interest..over a year ..that would be14K...off our income taxes...so that would be maybe $300 per month in "savings"? 
   can me ignorant..call me what you will...I would love any help you may have.
  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 06 2009 - Sacramento
  • Be a Good Neighbor. Be respectful and on-topic. No spam or self-promotion! See our Good Neighbor Policy.

Answers (6)

Profile picture for titan10

For exact advice, talk to a certified tax preparer. For general purposes, your question has two questions. For the 15k, it is a credit, which means, say you make 100k and your taxes owed (tax liability) were 15k, you would owe nothing. Thats assuming nothing was withheld throughout the year. If you had 15k withheld and your tax liability was 15k, instead of getting nothing and owing nothing, you would get the 15k back as a refund.

mortgage interest is a deduction which affects adjusted gross income, which is your income after reductions allowed for dependents, chairatable contributions, mortgage interest, etc. If you have a 14k mortgage interest deduction, and you were in the 30% tax bracket, your taxes would be reduced by 30% of the 14k.

mortgage interest is tax deductible-you save a percentage of it=good

a tax credit is dollar for dollar=best

  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 09 2009
Any answer to any question on the $15,000 tax credit should include a big giant disclaimer -- the tax credit isn't law yet.

The language in the Stimulus bill could be changed before it passes the Senate, and it could be changed again in the conference committee that will reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions.

As it is currently written, you can get a credit UP TO $15,000, which can be split evenly between two years. However, it may be limited by how much tax you pay. If for example you owe $4,000 in taxes, you can't take a $15,000 credit and expect an $11,000 refund. In this example, you could take a credit of $4,000 and in effect have a tax bill of $0. Then, you could take another $4000 take credit next year.
  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 08 2009
Profile picture for Mr Caveat
if you paid 30k in taxes, yes you get 15k back at tax time

if you paid 7.5k in taxes you can take 7.5k two years in a row
if you paid 5k in taxes, you can take 5k back 2 years in a row.(note NOT 3 years in a row)
  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 08 2009
Profile picture for wetdawgs
With mortgage interest is it part of itemized deductions (goes in Schedule A), so, if over the course of the year you pay $10,000 in interest you would deduct that from your income (as allowable by the rules).   www.irs.gov has a publication on the subject.  


  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 06 2009
Profile picture for avoeman
so if we usually get something back from the Feds...this would basically...mean 15K back at tax time?
  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 06 2009
A tax credit means you can deduct that amount from the taxes you owe. This differs from a tax deduction which means you can subtract the amount of the deduction from your income, on which taxes are paid.
  Flag content
Close
Report a Problem

Please enter a valid email address.

Close
Content flagged

We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.

Close
We're Sorry
This service is temporarily unavailable. Please come back later and try again.
February 06 2009
 

Have a question? Ask it here.

What's this?
Close

By starting a discussion, you can expect more of an interactive, back-and-forth experience where the conversation can go in many different directions.

Or start a discussion

E-mail successfully sent!Submission failed!

Related Questions
Profile picture for Jeff Grenz
Questionunder sales history Public Record would usually mean foreclosure?
  • Latest answer by Jeff Grenz
  • April 25
Profile picture for Mark Waterman
QuestionI am looking for Investors to flip-
  • Asked by Mark Waterman
  • March 05 2010
Profile picture for FriendshipProperties
QuestionBuy a house, rent it out, renters pay for your mortgage, whats the catch?
  • Latest answer by FriendshipProperties
  • August 26 2009
Profile picture for Jennifer Patrick
QuestionCan I hire a friend to be my property manager?
  • Latest answer by Jennifer Patrick
  • June 11 2009
Profile picture for Linda Strasberg
QuestionWant to buy apartment complex
  • Latest answer by Linda Strasberg
  • May 19 2009
Related Articles
GuideWhat is Gross Rent Multiplier?
GuideA Primer on Tax-Lien Investing
GuideWill a Condo Hotel Cash Flow?
GuideWhat Is a Second Home?
Compare Mortgage Rates
Be A Good Neighbor

Zillow® Advice depends on each member to keep it a safe, fun, and positive place. If you see abuse, flag it. More on our Good Neighbor Policy