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TAX BREAK FOR MORTGAGE DEBT FORGIVENESS
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President Bush signed into law today a new measure giving tax breaks to homeowners who have mortgage debt forgiven. Under preexisting law, the debt forgiven by a lender, such as for short sales and refinances, was generally taxable to the borrower as debt discharge income. With the passage of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, a taxpayer does not have to pay federal income tax on debt forgiven for a loan secured by a qualified principal residence.
This tax break applies to debts discharged from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009. Qualified principal residence indebtedness is debt incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving the residence (up to $2 million for refinances).
For purposes of calculating capital gains, any debts discharged excluded from income under the new law must be subtracted from the basis of the taxpayer's principal residence (but not below zero). However, taxpayers may generally exclude from capital gains income up to $250,000 (or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly) for properties owned and used as their principal residence for at least two of the last five years.
For a copy of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, go to http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-3648.
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LARGE INSURER REQUESTS RATE DECREASE FOR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE
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State Farm has requested a 10.6 percent reduction in homeowner's insurance rates, a request that would result in significant savings for 1.2 million Californians, the Calif. Dept. of Insurance recently announced. If approved, policyholders would save an average of $103 annually, amounting to $123 million in total savings across the state.
Earlier this year, Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi released a study called "Lower Claims, Higher Profits: Where Do Your Premium Dollars Go?" The results of the study revealed that many of California's largest insurance companies pay less than 50 cents of each premium dollar to settle policyholder claims. In response to the study, Garamendi ordered several insurance companies, including State Farm, to justify their rates. State Farm's request for lower rates must be reviewed and approved by the Dept. of Insurance. |
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