Second Mortgage: What about Taxes?

This article addresses some of the key issues regarding second mortgage and taxes. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about second mortgage and taxes.

For the average consumer who has managed to acquire credit card debt, automobile loans, and various other small debts, is the second mortgage loan an answer for the consolidation of debt and a tax reduction? Quite often the answer to this question is yes. Second mortgages that have traditionally been used in areas of home improvement, funding college educations or business startups are now being considered as a means to eliminate or consolidate high-interest credit card debt and create a tax deduction at the same time.

For the average consumer, using second mortgage loan money to pay off credit card debt or to consolidate individual personal loans does not eliminate the possibility of a tax reduction; especially if that average consumer does not already own a second home. The only problem here seems to be that we're replacing credit card debt for second mortgage debt; what do we then do with the credit card we've paid off? The smart consumer cuts them up.

How does a second mortgage affect your tax liability at the end of the year? A lot of that will depend on your income levels, your medical expense, and your other interest deductions. Mortgage interest expense is deductible on the Schedule A "Itemized Deductions" form of your individual or personal tax return. The Schedule A, however is not a straight tax reduction tool. Tax reductions, or deductions, carried forward from the Schedule A are a percentage of your AGI, or your adjusted gross income. Your adjusted gross income is based upon your income less certain expenses and deductions from Schedule Cs, Schedule Es etc. etc. Can you now see where this might be a little complicated?

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about second mortgage, taxes. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

Let's throw something else into the mix: if you're an investor, especially in the real estate market, your mortgage interest may not be deductible, period. Mortgage interest on your first home and on your second home is a tax-deductible interest; if however, you happen to be an investor in the real estate market the ability to make it clear distinction between first and second homes versus investment property becomes much harder to prove. Is the home a second home with deductible mortgage interest expense, or is it an investment? Of course, for investors interest expense on a loan for investment purposes is fully tax deductible; no percentages to work with at all.

Now let's ask another question, if you decide to take out a second mortgage could you better invest your money? What a 401(k), an IRA, or an MSA be a better benefit when it comes tax time versus leading the money in your home as equity? This has been a question long debated by financial analysts, tax attorneys, and fairly tax proficient homeowners. How does the equity better serve the homeowner? As a savings account, which is really what the equity in your home turns out be, or as an investment tool that can be used to increase your retirement savings? There are other factors to be considered here: such as penalties for early withdrawal, risk ratio versus profitability ratios, and which programs reduce tax on a one-to-one ratio? Unless you already have some general knowledge of the tax system, it can be more expensive to determine tax savings than you would actually save.

As you can see there are many, many ways to affect your tax liability, your tax deductions, or affect a tax reduction; the correct answers are highly dependent upon the individual situation and the individual objectives. The only way to accurately determine the better benefit is to sit down with a financial advisor, your tax information, and evaluate your long-term objectives.

Does the average consumer ever take the time to accomplish this? As a general rule the answer is no. Most consumers never take the time to look past next month. Over the course of a stressful and busy work week retirement planning, tax deductions, and income producing benefits never cross the consumer's mind. For those individuals who truly anticipate and receive benefit from tax planning in relation to their mortgage interest, there are many more individuals who never even contemplate that there might be a savings. Maybe, we should just skip this question.

If you've picked some pointers about a second mortgage and taxes that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.