If I am co-borrower on a mortgage (father is primary), I pay mortgage and all household upkeep. Can I write off loan interest even though he does not write it off?

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
March 11, 2024
3 replies
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1098 has his (fathers) SSN, but I am listed in Payer's Name along with him.

TurboTax Deluxe Online

Best answer by pk12_2

@sigseher , while answer from @zomboo , expands on my original answer , interest deduction ( if you take itemized deduction) requires ONLY (a) ownership ( percentage ownership generally does not matter absent any restricting covenant between the owners) ; loan is secured by the property and you must have paid the amount. Generally if you are on the title, you also would be on the loan docs. ( i.e. you and the other owners are individually and severally responsible for the interest payment) and therefore any monies you paid for the mortgage ( to the extent it is interest for the borrowed monies ) is deductible.

Thus this could be your main residence or a second home / vacation home.

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pk12_2

Employee

@sigseher , if you paid, and you are on the deed ( i.e. you own jointly with your father ) then you can. Generally , if you are on the loan docs, then you are probably also on the deed-- so it should work.

pk12_2Answer

Employee

Thus this could be your main residence or a second home / vacation home.

If this answers your query, please accept the answer , so the thread would close.

Obviously , if you still have more answers , please consider adding to this thread.

zomboo

If the home is your main or second home, you are entitled to deduct the amount of interest you actually paid. If you are asking if you can deduct the portion of any interest your father paid but is not taking a deduction for in 2023, that would probably depend on your mortgage payment arrangement with your father and his reason for not taking a mortgage interest deduction in 2023.

Be sure to read the filing instructions on page 8 of Pub 936 when there are More Than One Borrower and only one received the 1098.

Opus 17

Employee

You can deduct mortgage interest on your main home and up to 1 second home, up to a combined balance of $750,000. To deduct the interest, you must be:

a. the legal or beneficial owner of the home

b. the person who actually pays the mortgage.

It is not necessary that you be listed on the mortgage as a borrower. If you are on the deed, whether as owner or co-owner, then you are the legal owner. Even if you are not on the deed, you are probably the beneficial owner, and we can discuss that if needed.

To deduct property taxes you must be

a. the legal owner of the home

b. the person who actually pays the property taxes.

Note that there is no "beneficial owner" rule for property taxes, you must be a legal owner of the property.