First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

First-Time-Homebuyer Tax Credit: Who It Helps

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

The information on this page pertains to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. First-time home buyers who purchased a principal residence..

• The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.

• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.

• The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

First-Time Homebuyer Credit Questions and Answers:

Homes Purchased in 2009

Q. Is the IRS currently accepting e-filed returns that claim the new $8,000 homebuyer credit in/for the 2008 tax year?

A. Yes. Taxpayers can file Form 5405, First Time Homebuyer Credit, electronically for home purchases in 2008 to claim the first-time homebuyer credit. IRS began processing these returns electronically on March 30, 2009.

Q.I bought my home in 2009 (early) and filed my 2008 tax return claiming the $7,500 first-time homebuyer credit that has to be repaid. Now the expanded law provides for an $8,000 credit that doesn’t have to be repaid. What do I need to do to get the $8,000 credit that doesn’t have to be paid back?

A. You can file an amended return.

Q. If I purchase a home in June 2009, and have already filed my 2008 tax return, can I amend my 2008 return or will I have to claim it on my 2009 return?

A. You can either file an amended return to claim it on your 2008 return or claim it on your 2009 return.

Q. I am in the process of buying a home. I expect to close the deal before December 1, 2009. Can I claim the first-time homebuyer credit now? That would allow me to use the refund for a down payment.

A. No. You may not claim the credit in anticipation of a purchase that has yet to happen. Until you have finalized the purchase of your home, which for most purchasers occurs at the time of the closing, you do not qualify for the credit. IRS news release 2009-27, First-Time Homebuyers Have Several Options to Maximize New Tax Credit, contains details for filing options if the home is purchased after April 15, 2009.

Q: When must I pay back the credit for the home I purchased in 2009?

A: Generally, there is no requirement to pay back the credit for a principal residence purchased in 2009. The obligation to repay the credit on a home purchased in 2009 arises only if the home ceases to be your principal residence within 36 months from the date of purchase. The full amount of the credit received becomes due on the return for the year the home ceased being your principal residence.

Q. If I claim the first-time homebuyer credit for a purchase in 2009 and stop using the property as my principal residence before the 36 month period expires after I purchase, how is the credit repaid and how long would I have to repay it?

A. If, within 36 months of the date of purchase, the property is no longer used as your principal residence, you are required to repay the credit. Repayment of the full amount of the credit is due at that time the income tax return for the year the home ceased to be your principal residence is due. The full amount of the credit is reflected as additional tax on that year's tax return. Form 5405 and its instructions will be revised for tax year 2009 to include information about repayment of the credit.

Multiplier effect

As it helps more homebuyers afford housing, the first-time-homebuyer tax credit likely will have a multiplier effect on the housing market. For instance, when homeowners can sell their homes, they can in turn buy new homes.

Although it is unclear how large a multiplier effect will be derived from the homeowners who become sellers and then buyers again, it could help stabilize the housing market.

It's likely that the multiplier effect will be most noticeable at the lower end of the housing market. This is because the tax credit starts to phase out for borrowers with incomes of more than $75,000 for single homebuyers or $150,000 for married homebuyers filing jointly.

All segments of the housing market could experience a windfall from the tax credit, however. Consider an entry-level homebuyer who could not purchase a first home without the tax credit. Now, that entry-level buyer can purchase a starter home from a family who could now sell their home and move up to a mid-priced property. Neither of those transactions would have happened were it not for the tax credit.

In a real sense, then, the tax credit is helping to provide liquidity to the housing market.

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