NO B.S. VA Loans » Taxes

Attention Home Buyers: Tax Credit Could Go Up!

Vikki P. — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:09:55 +0000

To cope with the gloomy real estate market, lawmakers and businesses call out for an increase in tax credit for first-time home buyers. Right now, the tax credit is maxed at $8,000 and is expiring this coming fall. Some business groups suggest the tax credit be increased to $15,000 for first-time home buyers.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 40% of home purchases consist of first-time home buyers, a 5% increase than the historical average. The tax credit, originally part of the economic stimulus package, was introduced last July 2008 and was later expanded in February. According to some economists, the tax benefit is crucial to stimulate home buying and to stabilize prices.

The proposal to increase the tax credit includes the following:

A Senate Bill, introduced by Sen. Johnny Isakson, that will extend the tax credit to $15,000 for home buyers
A House Bill introduced by Rep. Kenny Marchant that will keep the $8,000 tax credit until 2010 and $3,000 credit to homeowners who would like to refinance
Another House Bill that will extend the tax credit to all homebuyers until 2010, as introduced by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson

Bernard Bauhmol, an Economic Outlook Group economist, is confident that the Congress will approve the proposal because “it’s important that housing come back” despite the fact that raising the credit will result to reduction of taxes. Meanwhile, the Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs of big companies urges the Congress to increase the tax credit to up to $15,000 and make all home buyers eligible. Realogy CEO Richard Smith thinks that the real issues are how to stimulate the “move-up market” and how to pay for it.

At the moment, the policy on tax credit does not apply to singles who earn above $95,000 per annum and couples who earn above $170,000. There are some business leaders who want these income caps removed to increase the number of eligible individuals. At the end of the day, one thing’s for sure – if these proposals were approved, more people will definitely take advantage of the expanded tax credit.

New Florida Law Makes Property Tax Challenges Easier

themightyquin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:32:19 +0000

Source: https://www.bankeroffice.com/

Governor Crist Signs New Law
A new law will make it easier for Florida homeowners to challenge their property tax assessment. In the past, most challenges were unsuccessful because the burden of proof was so high for the homeowner. For example, only 8% of challenges in Orange county were successful.

According to Governor Crist “This good bill increases the likelihood that a taxpayer will succeed in challenging a value assessment established by a property appraiser.“

View the official document here: new-florida-property-law

A Veteran’s Guide to Property Taxes

Vikki P. — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:05:40 +0000

Paying property taxes to your city, town, or county is part of a home owner’s responsibilities. Property taxes are computed based on your home’s assessed value. Don’t get confused because the assessed value and appraised value are two different things. To make it simple, the appraised value is simply the market value of a property in today’s market while the assessed value is used by taxing authorities to put a dollar value in the property for taxing purposes.

Most states do offer a property tax reduction for Veterans.

Though each state has its own guidelines, most states measure property taxes by mils (one mil means $1 for every $1,000 value of a home). So for example, if you have a house worth $100,000 with a 3.5 mil property tax the owner will have to pay $3.50 for every $1,000 in value or simply $350. However, regardless of how these taxes are computed, a home owner owes this amount to the government. If you have a mortgage, some lenders require monthly property tax payments as part of the mortgage payments. If this is not your case, then your town will ask you to pay property taxes every 3-6 months wherein you have to pay in full on its due date.

Check with your local taxing authority to find out more.

However, under certain circumstances, more than 30 states have given local property tax relief to veterans. Though not all towns or cities participate, most of the time, veterans can receive a break on property taxes. Property tax relief may come in different forms – like exemptions, abatements, frozen assessment rates, or direct rebates on taxes. New York, for instance, has a number of property tax exemptions for veterans. In South Carolina, a veteran receives an exemption on the first $50,000 of the assessed value. In Maryland, veterans with service-related disabilities receive full exemption from paying property tax liability.

Since each state, town, or city’s guidelines on property tax exemptions for veterans vary, it is best to consult someone from your state’s Department of Revenue office to learn more.

Federal Housing Tax Credit and YOUR VA Loan

themightyquin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:24:09 +0000

Everyday I get quite a few questions regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and how it would apply to buying a home using VA financing.

For those of you that don’t know, this act was initially passed as a “tax credit” to first time home buyers up to $8000 dollars.

Many groups like the National Association of Realtors petitioned lawmakers to monetize the tax credit which would allow buyers to use the credit as a form of down payment.

Using a tax credit as down payment mainly benefits FHA borrowers.

With a VA loan, borrowers already have 100% financing in place. Conversely, the FHA requires purchasers to make a 3.5% down payment. In those cases, a monetized tax credit could be used to offset closing costs and related transaction fees.

Technically speaking – VA borrowers could use the tax credit to buy down the VA funding fee.

The traditional VA funding fee is 2.15% for 100% financing. If a veteran puts more than 5% down in the transaction, the VA funding fee drops to 1.25%. For this to work with as little down payment as possible, the home purchase price would have to be $160,000 or LESS. Furthermore, this strategy only makes sense for Veterans intending to put the 5% down regardless of the situation. Otherwise, putting 5% down to save less than 1% in a VA funding fee is crazy.

A word of caution to all VA buyers.

Just because HUD may allow buyers to use tax credits as down payments, your bank may not. So, regardless of what people tell you, the BANKS make the rules. If you plan on using the tax credit in addition to your down payment, consult with your bank first. Failing to do so could result in a rude awaking. At the time of this writing, most banks DO NOT have a system in place for honoring down payment tax credits.

For your reading enjoyment I have also attached:

hud_mortgagee_letter_2009-15. This includes IRS form 5405 which is used to file for the home buyer tax credit.
fha_mortgagee_monetization_explanation

Here is also a brief excerpt taken from the National Association of Realtors website regarding the tax credit.

Who Qualifies?

First-time home buyers who purchase homes between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.

To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

Which Properties Are Eligible?

The 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.

How Much Will the Credit Be?

The maximum allowable credit for home buyers is $8,000. Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two factors:

The price of the home—the credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home, up to $8,000.

The buyer’s income—single buyers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.

If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She Still Get a Credit?

Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.

The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $75,000 and $95,000 for single buyers and between $150,000 and $170,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $95,000 for singles and over $170,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit.

Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?

No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during the three-year period, the credit will be recouped on the sale.