Can I claim moving expenses?Does turbo tax offer specific programs, sold a home and bought a home in 2022; this home is now my primary residence?

Only certain active duty members of the military can deduct moving expenses on a federal tax return.  There are a few states in which moving expenses can be used.

Per the tax laws that changed for 2018 and beyond, moving expenses are not deductible on a federal return except for certain active duty members of the military.

There are several states that allow a deduction for moving expenses on the state return:  AZ, AR, CA, HI, IA, MA, MN, NJ, NY, PA and VA  You can enter your moving expenses in the federal software and the information will flow to your state return.

As for the sale and purchase of a house......

SALE OF HOUSE

If your gain was more than  $250,000 filing Single, or more than $500,000 filing Married Filing Jointly the sale must be reported on your tax return.  Whether you re-invested the gain in to another house is irrelevant.  If you  have a Form 1099-S go to Federal>Wages and Income>Less Common Income>Sale of Home (gain or loss)

If you owned and lived in the home as your primary residence for at least 2 of the last 5 years on the date of the sale, you do not have to report the home sale if the gain is less than $250K filing Single, or less than $500K filing Married Filing Jointly (and you both owned and lived in the home for at least 2 years).

• If you are using online TT, you need Premier or Self-Employed software to report the 1099-S

For the new home:

There is not a first time home buyers credit on a Federal return. That ended in 2010. If your state has such as credit, you will be able to enter it when you prepare your state return.

Buying a home is not a guarantee of a big refund.  Your deductions for homeownership combined with your other deductions (if any) must exceed your standard deduction to change your tax due or refund. If you purchased your home late in the year, you do not even have a full year of home 

ownership deductions.

Your closing costs on your new home are not deductible except for prepaid interest, prepaid property tax or loan origination fees.  There are no deductions for appraisal, inspections, title searches, settlement fees. etc.

Your down payment is not deductible.

Your homeowners insurance for fire, hazard, flood, etc. is not deductible for your own home.

Home improvements, repairs, maintenance, etc. for your own home are not deductible.  

Homeowners Association  (HOA) fees for your own home are not deductible.

HOMEOWNERSHIP DEDUCTIONS

It is very hard for a lot of people to use itemized deductions now that the standard deduction is so much higher.  Your home ownership may not have any effect on your tax due or refund, especially if you purchased the house late in the year.  

Standard Deduction
Your itemized deductions have to be more than your standard deduction before you will see a change in your tax owed or tax refund.  The deductions you enter do not necessarily count “dollar for dollar;” many of them are subject to meeting  tough thresholds—medical expenses, for example, must meet a threshold that is pretty hard to reach.  The software program uses all the IRS rules that apply to the expenses you enter, and it tells you if you have enough to use your itemized deductions or if using the standard deduction is more advantageous for you.  Under the new tax laws, some deductions have been capped—there is a $10,000 limit to the itemized deductions for state, local, property and sales taxes. 

2022 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS

SINGLE $12,950  (65 or older + $1750)

MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $12,950  (65 or older + $1750)

MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $25,900  (65 or older + $1400 per spouse)

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD  $19,400  (65 or older +$1750)

Legally Blind + $1750

Go to Federal> Deductions and Credits> Your Home to enter mortgage interest, property taxes, and loan origination fees (“points”) that you paid in 2022.  You should have a 1098 from your mortgage lender that shows this information.  Lenders send these in January/early February.

Due to tax law changes from the TCJA passed in 2018, you can no longer deduct moving expenses unless you fit in one of the below categories, link from IRS Form 3903: Moving expense deduction eliminated, except for certain Armed Forces members. 

For tax years beginning after 2017, you can no longer deduct moving expenses unless you are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty and, due to a military order, you move because of a permanent change of station. Here is an informational link from TurboTax regarding Moving Expenses.

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