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Governor Nathan Deal signed major income tax changes in response to the federal Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017 (“TCJA”), on March 2, 2018.

The major components of the legislation are as follows:

1. The top individual and business tax rates have been reduced to a maximum rate of 5.75%
2. The standard deduction for individuals has been increased to $ 6,000 for married filing jointly taxpayers, and other increases for other classes of taxpayers
3. Conforming the Georgia code to the newly enacted federal tax law changes

 

There are more specific details concerning the legislation, but the above three major changes cover the basics. For information on how these changes will affect your individual situation, please give us a call.

 

2017 Tax Reform: IRS clarifies interest on home equity loans. Often still deductible

In an Information Release, IRS has announced that in many cases, taxpayers can continue to deduct interest paid on home equity loans under the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (PL 115-97, 12/22/2017).

Background. Taxpayers may deduct interest on mortgage debt that is “acquisition debt”. Acquisition debt means debt that is:

1. Secured by the taxpayer’s principal home and/or a second home, and
2. Incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving the home.

This rule hasn’t been changed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Under pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act law, the maximum amount that was treated as acquisition debt for the purpose of deducting interest was $1 million ($500,000 for marrieds filing separately). This meant that a taxpayer could deduct interest on no more than $1 million of acquisition debt. Taxpayers could also deduct interest on “home equity debt”. “Home equity debt”, as specially defined for purposes of the mortgage interest deduction, meant debt that:

1. Was secured by the taxpayer’s home, and
2. Wasn’t “acquisition indebtedness” (that is, wasn’t incurred to acquire, construct, or substantially improve the home).

Thus, the rule had allowed deduction of interest on home equity debt and enabled taxpayers to deduct interest on debt that wasn’t incurred to acquire, construct, or substantially improve a home—i.e., on debt that could be used for any purpose. As with acquisition debt, the pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act rules limited the maximum amount of “home equity debt” on which interest could be deducted; here, the limit was the lesser of $100,000 ($50,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately), or the taxpayer’s equity in the home.

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017 and before Jan. 1, 2026, the limit on acquisition debt is reduced to $750,000 ($375,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately). The $1 million, pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limit applies to acquisition debt incurred before Dec. 15, 2017, and to debt arising from refinancing pre-Dec. 15, 2017 acquisition debt, to the extent the debt resulting from the refinancing does not exceed the original debt amount. (Code Sec. 163(h)(3)(F))

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017 and before Jan. 1, 2026, there is no longer a deduction for interest on “home equity debt”. The elimination of the deduction for interest on home equity debt applies regardless of when the home equity debt was incurred. (Code Sec. 163(h)(3)(F))

New guidance. In IR 2018-32, IRS said that despite the newly-enacted restrictions on home mortgages under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, taxpayers can often still deduct interest on a home equity loan, home equity line of credit (HELOC), or second mortgage, regardless of how the loan is labelled.

IRS clarified that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspends the deduction for interest paid on 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.

For example, interest on a home equity loan used to build an addition to an existing home is typically deductible, while interest on the same loan used to pay personal living expenses—such as credit card debts—is not. As under pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act law, for the interest to be deductible, the loan must be secured by the taxpayer’s main home or second home (known as a qualified residence), not exceed the cost of the home and meet other requirements.

For anyone considering taking out a mortgage, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act imposes a lower dollar limit on mortgages qualifying for the home mortgage interest deduction. The lower limits apply to the combined amount of loans used to buy, build or substantially improve the taxpayer’s main home and second home.

IR 2018-32, provides the following examples:

Illustration 1: In January 2018, John takes out a $500,000 mortgage to purchase a main home with a fair market value of $800,000. In February 2018, he takes out a $250,000 home equity loan to put an addition on the main home. Both loans are secured by the main home and the total does not exceed the cost of the home. Because the total amount of both loans does not exceed $750,000, all of the interest paid on the loans is deductible. However, if John used the home equity loan proceeds for personal expenses, such as paying off student loans and credit cards, then the interest on the home equity loan would not be deductible.

Illustration 2: In January 2018, Mary takes out a $500,000 mortgage to purchase a main home. The loan is secured by the main home. In February 2018, she takes out a $250,000 loan to purchase a vacation home. The loan is secured by the vacation home. Because the total amount of both mortgages does not exceed $750,000, all of the interest paid on both mortgages is deductible. However, if Mary took out a $250,000 home equity loan on the main home to purchase the vacation home, then the interest on the home equity loan would not be deductible.

Illustration 3: In January 2018, Bob takes out a $500,000 mortgage to purchase a main home. The loan is secured by the main home. In February 2018, he takes out a $500,000 loan to purchase a vacation home. The loan is secured by the vacation home. Because the total amount of both mortgages exceeds $750,000, not all of the interest paid on the mortgages is deductible. Only a percentage of the total interest paid is deductible.

Call us if you have any questions.

Here are the changes in the rules for deducting qualified residential interest, i.e., interest on your home mortgage, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act).

 

Under the pre-Act rules, you could deduct interest on up to a total of $1 million of mortgage debt used to acquire your principal residence and a second home, i.e., acquisition debt. For a married taxpayer filing separately, the limit was $500,000. You could also deduct interest on home equity debt, i.e., other debt secured by the qualifying homes. Qualifying home equity debt was limited to the lesser of $100,000 ($50,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately), or the taxpayer’s equity in the home or homes (the excess of the value of the home over the acquisition debt). The funds obtained via a home equity loan did not have to be used to acquire or improve the homes. So you could use home equity debt to pay for education, travel, health care, etc.

 

Under the Act, starting in 2018, the limit on qualifying acquisition debt is reduced to $750,000 ($375,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately). However, for acquisition debt incurred before Dec. 15, 2017, the higher pre-Act limit applies. The higher pre-Act limit also applies to debt arising from refinancing pre-Dec. 15, 2017 acquisition debt, to the extent the debt resulting from the refinancing does not exceed the original debt amount. This means you can refinance up to $1 million of pre-Dec. 15, 2017 acquisition debt in the future and not be subject to the reduced limitation.

 

And, importantly, starting in 2018, there is no longer a deduction for interest on home equity debt. This applies regardless of when the home equity debt was incurred. Accordingly, if you are considering incurring home equity debt in the future, you should take this factor into consideration. And if you currently have outstanding home equity debt, be prepared to lose the interest deduction for it, starting in 2018. (You will still be able to deduct it on your 2017 tax return, filed in 2018.)

 

Lastly, both of these changes last for eight years, through 2025. In 2026, the pre-Act rules are scheduled to come back into effect. So beginning in 2026, interest on home equity loans will be deductible again, and the limit on qualifying acquisition debt will be raised back to $1 million ($500,000 for married separate filers).

 

If you would like to discuss how these changes affect your particular situation, and any planning moves you should consider in light of them, please give us a call.

 

The new tax law will affect everybody. Many individuals and companies will have opportunities to make planning decisions that could potentially reduce taxes.

Here’s an example:

For instance, let’s say you have an S Corp that has $500,000 of net income before any compensation to you, the 100% owner. Before the new tax act (Prior to tax year 2018) it would be best to pay yourself a reasonable salary and let the rest of the income flow to the bottom line. Being that both are taxable to you the salary  and the net income to you as S Corp income.

With the new tax law, the scenario will change and look more like this:

Using the example above.  You could pay yourself a reasonable $200,000 salary and let the $300,000 fall to the bottom line as net income. The new tax law states you would receive a 20% deduction on your personal tax return, or $60,000.  But wait! The House Committee reports suggest that you add back any owner compensation in computing the “Qualified Business Income” to the bottom line net income. The Senate version was silent on this. If the House version is interpreted by the IRS as the Act’s intent, the QBI would be the entire $500,000, giving you a deduction of $100,000 on your form 1040.

We will keep a close watch on this as IRS regulations and interpretations as they begin coming out, and will keep you updated. Don’t hesitate to call us anytime to discuss.