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HomeownershipTaxes

Home Mortgage Interest Deductions

By May 20, 2025June 24th, 2025No Comments

Introduction

For many homeowners, the ability to deduct mortgage interest on their tax return is one of the most valuable financial benefits of homeownership. If you itemize deductions, you may be eligible to deduct interest paid on a qualified mortgage tied to your primary or secondary residence. However, recent changes in tax law and specific limitations on home equity loans and lines of credit make it important to understand what qualifies for the deduction. Knowing the difference between acquisition and equity indebtedness, and how IRS rules apply to each, can help you maximize the deduction and avoid costly mistakes.

What is a home mortgage interest deduction?

If you itemize deductions, you can generally deduct “qualified residence interest” you pay on certain home mortgages taken in connection with your primary residence and a second residence. (You cannot deduct mortgage interest with respect to a third residence.) This deduction generally applies only to interest on mortgages to buy, build, or improve your primary or secondary residence. For 2018 to 2025, the deduction for home mortgage interest is not available for home equity loans and lines of credit, unless they are used to buy, build, or substantially improve the taxpayer’s home that secures the loan.

The extent to which you may deduct the interest on your home loan depends on several factors, including the manner in which the loan proceeds are used, the amount of the loan(s), the type of loan, and whether your loan was taken prior to October 14, 1987.

Tip: For 2007 through 2021 only, premiums paid or accrued for qualified mortgage insurance is treated as deductible mortgage interest. Qualified mortgage insurance means mortgage insurance provided by the VA, FHA, and Rural Housing Authority as well as private mortgage insurance (PMI). The amount of the deduction is phased out if your adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds $100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately). This provision does not apply with respect to any mortgage contract issued before January 1, 2007 or after December 31, 2021.

What is qualified residence interest?

Qualified residence interest consists of any interest you pay in a given tax year for acquisition indebtedness or home equity indebtedness on your “qualified residence.”

A qualified residence is your principal residence and/or a second residence that meets certain requirements. A second residence you rent to others during the year can be considered a qualified residence for tax purposes only if you (or close relatives) use it for personal purposes for the greater of 14 days during the year or 10 percent of the number of days it is rented during the year.

Definition of home acquisition indebtedness

Acquisition indebtedness is a loan that meets certain dollar limitations and is incurred in buying, building, or substantially improving your qualified residence. In addition, the loan must be secured by a mortgage on that residence.

Example(s): Assume John buys his first home for $250,000, taking out a mortgage of $200,000. The $200,000 mortgage is considered acquisition indebtedness.
Tip: An improvement must add value to your home (and be added to your home’s basis for tax purposes). Proceeds used to pay for repairs do not qualify.

Amount of home acquisition debt

For debt incurred before December 16, 2017, home acquisition debt on your primary residence and a second residence totaling up to $1 million ($500,000 if you’re married and file separately) qualifies for interest deductibility. For debt incurred after December 15, 2017, home acquisition debt on your primary residence and a second residence totaling up to $750,000 ($375,000 if you’re married and file separately) qualifies for interest deductibility. However, these dollar amounts are reduced by the total amount of any outstanding “pre-October 13, 1987” indebtedness that you may have.

For IRS purposes, all loans taken on and secured by your primary residence and one second residence prior to October 14, 1987 (no matter how the proceeds are used) are considered “grandfathered” home acquisition debt. All interest paid on such grandfathered debt is deductible, even if the total debt exceeds $1 million (or $500,000 if you’re married and file separately).

Tip: Because the IRS has complex rules for tracing the use of borrowed funds, you should keep detailed records of loans taken to buy, build, or improve a residence so you can (if necessary) prove that the proceeds qualify as a home acquisition loan.

Definition of home equity indebtedness

For 2018 to 2025, the deduction for home mortgage interest is not available for home equity loans and lines of credit, unless they are used to buy, build, or substantially improve the taxpayer’s home that secures the loan.

Home equity indebtedness refers to debt (other than acquisition indebtedness) secured by your main or second home that exceeds the acquisition indebtedness. Home equity debt is limited to the lesser of:

  1. The fair market value (FMV) of the home minus total acquisition indebtedness on that home, or
  2. $100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately) for main and second homes combined

Interest on home equity loans that meet these limits and qualifications is deductible no matter what the loan proceeds are used for, except when the proceeds are used to purchase tax-exempt vehicles (investments or properties), such as tax-exempt bonds.

Example(s): Suppose you bought a home in 1980 for $180,000, taking out a mortgage of $130,000 to buy the home. The $130,000 is considered home acquisition debt. A few years later, when the fair market value of the home has increased to $195,000 and the principal balance on the original $130,000 acquisition loan has been paid down to $110,000, you take out a home equity loan of $90,000. You may deduct interest paid on $85,000 of the $90,000 home equity loan. Why? Interest cannot be deducted on the home equity debt that exceeds the difference between the fair market value of the residence ($195,000) and the principal owed on the acquisition debt on the residence ($110,000) at the time the home equity loan is taken.
Caution: Refinancing of an acquisition debt is considered acquisition debt to the extent it does not exceed the principal outstanding on the loan immediately before the refinancing.

Conclusion

The home mortgage interest deduction can provide meaningful tax savings, but it is governed by specific rules related to loan purpose, timing, and property type. Understanding what qualifies as acquisition or home equity indebtedness, maintaining clear records, and staying informed about deduction limits are all essential to taking full advantage of this benefit. Whether you are purchasing a new home, refinancing an existing mortgage, or considering a home equity loan, it is important to consult with a tax professional to ensure your deductions are accurate and compliant with current IRS guidelines.

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Source:

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. prepared this material for use by Scarlet Oak Financial Services.

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice or recommendations. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on individual circumstances. Scarlet Oak Financial Services provide these materials for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable — we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.