Are Home Improvements Tax Deductible? – Forbes Home

The general rule is that home improvement is not tax-deductible. Many exceptions apply to the rule. Several rules overlap and change yearly. Always talk to a tax professional before digging into your project to see if it can affect your tax liabilities.

Repairs

Home repair projects like painting, roof repair, replacing worn carpeting or patching the driveway cement are rarely tax-deductible. Exceptions may include damages caused by natural or other disaster situations.

Repairs are typically only deductible for personal disaster events if the taxpayer itemizes deductions and forfeits the standard deduction. The tax benefit is considered a tax deduction rather than a tax credit.

For federally-declared disaster situations, repairs are often deductible in the form of a tax credit. However, the rules may vary between events.

Capital Improvements

Capital improvements include renovations or additions to a home that increase the property value, extend the life of the property or alter or adapt the use of the property. Capital improvements don’t include home repairs and must be permanent or semi-permanent changes that are not done out of necessity.

Tax deductions for capital improvements can only be realized when the house is sold. The renovation’s value, or a percentage, is added to the investment cost of the home. That amount then reduces the profit amount at the time of sale.

Medical Need Renovations

Alterations made to a home for medical reasons, such as expanding doorways or installing ramps, are often fully deductible. However, the list of rules related to medical renovation deductions is long and ever-changing.

Medical renovations are usually treated as tax deductions rather than credits. Limitations regarding income level, itemization or whether or not the alterations affect property value are all at play. Consult a tax professional for details that may apply to any medical renovation.

Energy-Saving Renovations

Solar panel installation or upgrading to energy-efficient windows are examples of energy-saving renovations. The list of qualifying home upgrades changes from year to year, as do the tax dollar amounts involved. Most often, qualifying deductions are rewarded as tax credits.

Home Office Improvements

If you have a home office used for self-employment, you’ll have several options to reduce your tax liability through deductions. Repairs and improvements to the home office space are usually fully deductible if the alterations meet specific criteria. Modifications to your home that affect your home office are generally deductible as a percentage of the cost.

Rental Property Situations

Upkeep, often including simple repairs, generally qualifies for same-year tax deductions if the work occurs in a rental property. The rules for rental property and personal property are quite different, and a thorough investigation of potential tax benefits is recommended.

Significant upgrades to rental properties may be subjected to depreciation and must be deducted over time instead of a single filing.