Lose your home and face a possible state tax hit

Richard Gonzalez — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:08:38 +0000

Homeowners considering walking away from a home or a short sale should do their homework, and above all please seek the advice of a tax preparer who knows the ins and outs of the debt forgiveness laws.

With so many bills and laws that have passed it almost seems like a full time job keeping up with all the changes. I read a recent article in the SF Gate web site I thought would help to make sense of it all. Here is an except.

Californians who lose their homes in a foreclosure, short-sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure this year could be hit with a state income tax on canceled or forgiven debt.

A state law that temporarily exempted many homeowners from this tax at the state level expired at the end of last year. Attempts to revive it have not been successful.

The state law was similar to a federal one that exempts many homeowners from federal tax on canceled mortgage debt. The federal law remains in effect through 2012.

The state-tax hit could be substantial and the rules are complex. People in mortgage trouble should consult a qualified tax professional.
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Santa Clara County Tax Assessor Revenue Unable to Provide Relief

Richard Gonzalez — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:19:57 +0000

Click Here to enlarge County Assessor map for Santa Clara County

Although most of our county has seen some improvement Santa Clara County assessor Larry Stone has expressed concerns about the lack of tax dollars in this San Jose Mercury News article. The concern is that city and County services are feeling the impact even with a recent jump in the affordable home sale activity. Read the article

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Lose your home and face a possible state tax hit

Santa Clara County Tax Assessor Revenue Unable to Provide Relief