Tax News Mortgage Debt Relief for Californians Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxAshley Published Apr 14, 2010 - [Updated Jul 19, 2019] 1 min read Late on April 12th, California Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that will provide tax relief for California taxpayers whose mortgage debt on their primary residence was partly or entirely forgiven by lenders in 2009. The law offers a tax break similar to that already available to taxpayers on their federal taxes, but with different limitations. Most affected taxpayers can exclude forgiven debt of up to $500,000 from their 2009 California taxable income. Lenders “forgive” or cancel mortgage debt when they cannot recover what they are owed. The amount forgiven is generally the difference between what is owed on the mortgage and the home’s value on the open market. Debt forgiveness typically occurs when people lose their homes in foreclosure, abandon them, give them back to their lenders or have their debt modified by the lenders. Here is a good example from the Examiner: “Say you borrow $500,000 and buy a house with it. You stop making your payments, and the house that was put up as collateral is seized and sold (foreclosed). After the auction, the bank clears only $300,000. The $200,000 shortfall is money you received and spent, so according to our government’s income taxers you “made” $200,000.” California had offered debt forgiveness tax relief along with the federal government for 2007 and 2008, but now has extended and enhanced it for tax years 2009 through 2012. Prior to 2007, forgiven debt was usually counted as taxable income to the mortgage borrower. For more information about the April 12 law, see Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Extended on the California Franchise Tax Board website. TurboTax will be updated to include this tax law change on April 20th. Taxpayers that need to file before that can follow the instructions in this FAQ. Previous Post What the Middle Class Tax Credits Could Mean for You Next Post The IRS May Owe You Money Written by TurboTaxAshley More from TurboTaxAshley 6 responses to “Mortgage Debt Relief for Californians” What if your husband is stationed in CA, and is a CA resident, but the house is in a different state? He is active duty and deployed… We had to give up the house because they changed his orders. Now, the mortgage company can’t do anything because of the Soldiers and Sailors Act, but we have tried to short sale, and give it back to the back… Needless to say it just sits there and we are not allowed on the property because the bank has taken over. My question is… How do I file for this and do we qualify for the debt relief act? Reply I want to read more. ============ James Reply It’s a nice post over here. ============= James Reply hi thanks Reply This article is super and example is so good that a Mortgage Debt Relief for Californians.California had offered debt forgiveness tax relief along with the federal government for 2007 and 2008. ************************* Jonshan Reply That’s good news. i am glad to see the website. ************* Daniel Reply Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Tax News Intuit TurboTax April Report: A Look at Refunds and S… Tax Planning April 15 is the Tax Deadline: 6 Things You Need to Know… Tax Planning Unable to Pay Your Tax Bill? Here’s What To Do Tax Tips Tax Credits 101: What They Are & How They Work Business How to Know if You Should Invest in Business Insurance Tax Deductions and Credits What Is the Standard Tax Deduction for 2023 – 202… 401K, IRA, Stocks Should You Use Your 401(k) or Retirement to Pay Off Deb… Tax Planning What Happens If You Don’t Pay Taxes? Understanding Pe… Tax Deductions and Credits Family Taxes: Take Advantage of Tax Savings Taxes 101 How Much Do You Have to Make to File Taxes? Demystifyin…
What if your husband is stationed in CA, and is a CA resident, but the house is in a different state? He is active duty and deployed… We had to give up the house because they changed his orders. Now, the mortgage company can’t do anything because of the Soldiers and Sailors Act, but we have tried to short sale, and give it back to the back… Needless to say it just sits there and we are not allowed on the property because the bank has taken over. My question is… How do I file for this and do we qualify for the debt relief act? Reply
This article is super and example is so good that a Mortgage Debt Relief for Californians.California had offered debt forgiveness tax relief along with the federal government for 2007 and 2008. ************************* Jonshan Reply