1^st Time Home Buyers Tax Credit

• Extends the tax credit to agreements signed by April 30, 2010 and settled by June 30, 2010.
• Extends all requirements of the $8,000 tax credit of 2009. 
• Includes up to 10% of the sales price of the property up to $8,000. 
• Persons can not have been a homeowner for the last 3 years.
• Can apply it to taxes for 2009 or 2010.
•  Is a tax credit as opposed to a tax write off.
• Income eligibility which has been increased as of December 1 from $75,000 to $125,000 and for a couple $150,000 to$225,000  There is partial payment up to $145,000 for an individual and $245,000 for a couple.

$6500 Tax Credit for Home Owners:

• Provides 10% of the purchase price up to $6500.
• Is a tax credit as opposed to a tax write off.
• Can be applied to 2009 or 2010 taxes.
• Has income limits of $125,000 for one owner and $250,000 for multiple owners.
• There is partial payment for income up to $145,000 for an individual and $245,000 for a couple.
• Total purchase price must be under $800,000.
• Persons eligible must have owned and lived in a home as a principle residence for 5 consecutive years of the last 8.
• Agreement of sale must be signed by both parties by April 30, 2010 and must settle by June 30, 2010.
• This tax credit goes into effect for any person having a settlement on or after the day the President signed the bill which is November 6, 2009.

A new attribute of both of the tax credits is that any veteran who has been deployed outside of the United States for 90 days or more between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010 has an automatic one year extension.  For either program the purchase must be made prior to April 30, 2011 and settled by June 30, 2011.

Tax Credit Advance

This is a Pennsylvania program and all loans using this must go through PHFA.  We should not be guaranteeing this to our clients until all documents are into the lender and it is guaranteed by PHFA and the funds are reserved. 

1^st Time Home Buyer:

• $5000 upfront to purchase a home
• $6000 upfront if its new construction
• Persons will still be able to get the entire $8000 or 10% of the sales price whichever is less however they are expected to pay back the $5000 or $6000 upfront monies.  If they do not pay it back the advanced amount will be transformed into a 10 year loan at the same interest rate of the loan that they received.  Persons may choose this alternative.

Home Buyers:

• $3000 upfront to purchase a home
• $4000 upfront if its new construction
• Persons will still get the entire $6500 or 10% of the price of the property and if they don’t pay back the advance it will be transformed into a 10 year loan payable at the same interest rate as the original loan.  Again persons may choose that alternative.

*as read on Berks County Assessments Office’s website

The Berks County Board of Assessment Appeals announces as of June 1, that the Regular appeal period is now open. Regular appeals can be filed each year from July 1 to August 15. Results of the appeal are effective for the following tax year.

The following information will clarify the assessment and appeal process.

The Berks County Assessment Office places assessments on all property located within the County. At the time an assessment is placed on a property, it represents the current market value.

The County, municipalities and school districts calculate their tax millage rate using the total taxable assessed value of all property within the taxing district. Read the rest of this entry