February 9, 2024
This blog post was originally published on February 17, 2017. We update and publish it annually to let everyone to know about the benefits of Mortgage Credit Certificates.
For the past two years, households across the country have heightened economic anxiety as inflationary pressures and prolonged economic uncertainty make financial decisions more stressful. Given this, saving money during tax season is more important than ever.
That's why we want to remind home buyers about our Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program and the immense savings they could receive on their income taxes.
The MCC is a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit equal to a percentage of the interest a homeowner pays on their mortgage loan. Because the MCC refunds a portion of the mortgage interest, it also helps soften the blow of higher mortgage interest rates.
It gets better. Homeowners can take advantage of the MCC credit on their federal income taxes each year they occupy the home as their principal residence, which means every tax season will be a reason to celebrate.
TSAHC has assisted thousands of Texans through our MCC Program. Those first-time home buyers have a reason to share our love for tax season because they can save money year after year on their income taxes.
Qualifying for an MCC is simple. Home buyers eligible for down payment assistance (DPA) through one of home buyer programs are also eligible for the MCC Program so long as they are a first-time home buyer or have not owned a home in the last three years. Veterans and those living in certain targeted areas are exempt from the first-time home buyer requirement. Take the eligibility quiz to see if you qualify and find a participating lender in your county.
While eligibility for our down payment assistance and MCC programs are the same, you don't have to use our down payment assistance to receive an MCC. You can also combine an MCC with any fixed rate mortgage loan.
Please note that while we have historically offered a standalone MCC option and the MCC/DPA combo, both of these are currently on hold. We anticipate that the MCC/DPA combo will be available again this spring with limited funding.
There are two other MCC requirements: 1) the home must meet certain sales price requirements, and 2) home buyers need to apply for an MCC when purchasing their home. Home buyers that close on a home without an MCC cannot retroactively apply for one.
That's why it's so important for us to highlight our MCC Program. Like down payment assistance, we worry that home buyers are losing out on thousands of dollars simply because they don't know programs like ours exist.
This tax season, we hope you will help us spread the word about our MCC Program so that more home buyers can save money towards their future financial goals.
Do you wish you had all this information about MCCs, wrapped into a quick and convenient video? Click below to grant your wish!
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