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8000 Tax Credit Questions and Answers

Are you interested in buying a new home this year and have questions about the 8000 tax credit? You are not alone.

UPDATE: The 8000 Tax Credit Has Been Extended and Expanded:

$8,000 First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit Expansion Details

  • The $8,000 tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
  • The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
  • The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
  • The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.
  • The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify.
  • For homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before November 6, 2009, the income limits are $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.
  • For homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

The $6,500 Move-Up / Repeat Home Buyer Tax Credit Details

  • To be eligible to claim the tax credit, buyers must have owned and lived in their previous home for five consecutive years out of the last eight years.
  • The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
  • The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500.
  • The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.
  • The credit is available for homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the home purchase qualifies provided it is completed by June 30, 2010.
  • Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

UPDATE: Can The 8000 Tax Credit Be Used As A Down Payment?

Some of the most common questions that we have gotten about this program have been answered by the National Association of Homebuilders who have set up a website to specifically answer these questions.






  1. Who is eligible to claim the tax credit?
  2. What is the definition of a first-time home buyer?
  3. How is the amount of the tax credit determined?
  4. Are there any income limits for claiming the tax credit?
  5. What is “modified adjusted gross income”?
  6. If my modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above the limit, do I qualify for any tax credit?
  7. Can you give me an example of how the partial tax credit is determined?
  8. How is this home buyer tax credit different from the tax credit that Congress enacted in July of 2008?
  9. How do I claim the tax credit? Do I need to complete a form or application?
  10. What types of homes will qualify for the tax credit?
  11. I read that the tax credit is “refundable.” What does that mean?
  12. I purchased a home in early 2009 and have already filed to receive the $7,500 tax credit on my 2008 tax returns. How can I claim the new $8,000 tax credit instead?
  13. Instead of buying a new home from a home builder, I hired a contractor to construct a home on a lot that I already own. Do I still qualify for the tax credit?
  14. Can I claim the tax credit if I finance the purchase of my home under a mortgage revenue bond (MRB) program?
  15. I live in the District of Columbia. Can I claim both the Washington, D.C. first-time home buyer credit and this new credit?
  16. I am not a U.S. citizen. Can I claim the tax credit?
  17. Is a tax credit the same as a tax deduction?
  18. I bought a home in 2008. Do I qualify for this credit?
  19. Is there any way for a home buyer to access the money allocable to the credit sooner than waiting to file their 2009 tax return?
  20. If I’m qualified for the tax credit and buy a home in 2009, can I apply the tax credit against my 2008 tax return?
  21. For a home purchase in 2009, can I choose whether to treat the purchase as occurring in 2008 or 2009, depending on in which year my credit amount is the largest?

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