Wait to Claim That Tax Credit

-- Anyone who buys a house after Nov. 6 -- even those who had intended to get in the door before the previous Nov. 30 expiration date for the $8,000 credit -- will now need to comply with several new rules. First, the house cannot cost more than $800,000. Second, no one under the age of 18 can claim the credit no matter what the circumstances. And finally, anyone who is counted as a dependent on another taxpayer's federal filings is ineligible for a home purchase tax credit.

-- The expanded income limits for purchasers after Nov. 6 range to $125,000 in "modified adjusted gross income" for single taxpayers, and to $225,000 for those who file jointly. Singles with incomes between $125,000 and $145,000 may be eligible for phased-down credit amounts, as are joint filers with incomes from $225,000 to $245,000. Anyone with an income above these amounts cannot qualify for either of the credits. Under the pre-Nov. 6 rules, by comparison, taxpayers applying for the $8,000 credit were limited to incomes of $75,000 (single filer) to $150,000 (joint filer).

The IRS continues to offer detailed consumer information resources on the credits, including Q&As on a variety of home purchase scenarios.

For example, some taxpayers seeking the extended $8,000 credit are uncertain about co-purchase and co-signing situations, especially involving parents and adult children. When a homeowning parent co-signs for a mortgage with a son or daughter, and both names appear on the note, can the son or daughter qualify for the first-time purchaser credit?

The IRS says the parent clearly does not qualify for any portion of the credit since he or she already owns a principal residence. But if the son or daughter has not owned a house during the three years preceding the current purchase, and qualifies on income, he or she can be allocated the entire $8,000 credit.

Similarly, when unmarried individuals co-purchase a house, and only one of them is eligible for the credit, the full $8,000 can be allocated to the eligible buyer. The ineligible co-purchaser, in other words, does not spoil the deal -- as long as none of the credit goes to that person.