Submitted By: K.
Answered: August 24, 2015 12:44 pm

Are the premiums for job-loss mortgage insurance deductible?

Job-loss mortgage insurance is a policy that pays some or all of the mortgage payments (and, under some policies, real estate taxes and homeowners insurance) if you lose your job. The IRS has not ruled on whether these premiums are tax deductible. Some insurers combine then with mortgage insurance (coverage required when a buyer puts less than 20% down), which arguably could be deductible. (The deduction for mortgage insurance expired at the end of 2014 but could be extended to 2015.) However, job-loss mortgage insurance is more akin to various other types of nondeductible personal insurance, such as disability coverage and credit card protection insurance. Bottom line: who knows?

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Tax Glossary

Itemized deductions

Items, such as interest, state and local income and sales taxes, charitable contributions, and medical deductions, claimed on Schedule A of Form 1040. Itemized deductions are subtracted from adjusted gross income to arrive at taxable income. The amount of itemized deductions is also subject to a reduction when adjusted gross income exceeds certain limits.

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