When more than one person (other than your spouse if filing a joint return) is liable for and pays mortgage interest on a home, you must report your share of the interest on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 8b, and attach a statement to your paper return explaining the arrangement. The statement should show how much interest each borrower paid and include the name and address of the person who received Form 1098. Print “See attached” next to line 8b.
Reporting for Multiple Borrowers
- If you are not the payer of record but paid interest on a mortgage with other borrowers, and someone else received Form 1098, you must attach a statement detailing your share of the interest paid.
- If you are the payer of record and other borrowers are entitled to deduct part of the interest shown on Form 1098, you may deduct only your share on Schedule A, line 8a. You should inform the other borrowers of their respective shares.
Form 1098 Requirements
- Form 1098 is issued only to the payer of record, and only if that payer is an individual. Co-borrowers who are not the payer of record do not receive Form 1098.
- If you paid interest to a seller (e.g., in a private sale), you must report that interest on Schedule A, line 8b, and provide the seller’s name, address, and TIN (Social Security Number, ITIN, or EIN) on the dotted lines next to the line. Failure to provide this information may result in a $50 penalty per failure.
Special Situations
- If you received a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) from a state or local government, you may claim a mortgage interest credit using Form 8396. However, you must reduce your mortgage interest deduction by the amount of the credit claimed.
- If you refinanced your mortgage and received a reissued MCC, the reissued certificate must fully replace the original, and the holder cannot retain any portion of the original balance. The credit rate on Form 8396 cannot be less than 10% or more than 50%, and if over 20%, the credit is capped at $2,000 (or allocated if multiple owners).
Source:
Publication 936 (2025)
Form 1098 (2025)
Form 8396 (2025)
Disclaimer: Always verify details with current Federal or State Department of Revenue Forms and Instructions. For complex situations, consult a CPA or tax attorney.