What is the number I use on my Form 1098 for the Certificate Number?

Your Mortgage Certificate Number isn’t on Form 1098; it’s found on a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC).  You can only claim Mortgage Interest Credit if you’ve received a Mortgage Credit Certificate issued by a state or local governmental unit or agency under a qualified mortgage credit certificate program.

The IRS requests your mortgage credit certificate number on Form 8396 so that it can verify your claim to the credit.

If you only received a Form 1098 for the interest that you paid on your mortgage, and not a Mortgage Credit Certificate, you can’ claim the Mortgage Interest Credit.  However, you can take an itemized deduction for the amount of mortgage interest you paid.