Did you know that home improvements qualify for deductions on your Federal taxes? Due to current market conditions and the downturn in the real estate markets many homeowners are opting to improve the existing home over upgrading to a new home. These home improvements most likely qualify as deduction on your taxes and can be used to reduce the amount you owe on your annual taxes.
What Home Improvements Qualify for Tax Deductions?
Any home improvement which is done for medical reasons such as elevators, ramps, raised sinks and door widening may qualify for a tax deduction. With proper documentation as to costs involved you can recoup a percentage of your home improvement costs but without the right receipts you will have nothing to make a claim with.
Improvements on your home related to energy savings may be eligible for tax credits and rebates both from Federal, State and local governments. In some states you can get as much as 25% of you total cost reimbursed to you for the installation of energy efficient heating and cooling devices. Home energy improvements are also beneficial for lowering your electric bills and additional savings over time. Improvements related to energy can add significant value to a home and increase the resale value as much as 15% or more in certain areas where power consumption costs more.
What Home Improvements Do Not Qualify for Tax Deductions?
As with anything from the government there are a number of requirements and limitations. One example is the difference between a home repair and a home improvement. Home repairs are generally not able to be used as tax deduction and the definition of repairs over improvement has caught more than one homeowner off guard in the past. An example of a home repair may be something like the replacement of a faulty roof or a broken water heater. An improvement would be something not necessary but which offers value in the long run.
Be Careful And Don’t Get Carried Away
The Internal Revenue Service has very strict requirements and standards on what can or cannot be claimed for tax deductions. Be sure to check with your tax accountant or financial advisor about what you can and cannot claim. We are general contractors in Florida and not tax attorneys but our experience has been that many homeowners will neglect to check what they can or cannot claim on their taxes and they often miss out on an opportunity to maximize their investment.
There are limits on how much you can claim and the cost involved. For example building a wheelchair ramp with a covered path may seem nice but in most cases the tax breaks will be on the ramp alone and not the roof system. It’s not a necessary component to the improvement.
Be aware of the many pitfalls and do your research before you make any decisions related to your finances. Tax deductions for improvements are a great way to reduce your total tax debt as long as they are done correctly.
Sauer and Sons Construction Company in Ocala Florida offers professional home improvement and repair services for clients across Central Florida.
Your home is still your greatest asset and home improvements and repairs are still vital to not only sustaining your investment but in watching it grow as well. Home improvements and home repairs are important not only for maintaining the value but also for increasing the comfort and usability of your home. Get the most from your home and renovate your existing home at a fraction of the cost over other so called local construction firms.