Lurker wrote:Here's the language from the actual plan
Universal mortgage tax credit for homeowners. Barack Obama believes we should immediately enact a 10 percent refundable tax credit on the mortgage interest paid by hardworking American families that do not itemize their taxes. This credit will help offset the cost of mortgage payments for at least 10 million middle-class homeowners.
Well that sucks. Anyone with a mortgage balance of over 200K has an interest deduction that is greater than the standard deduction, which means they'd be better off itemizing. And that includes just about everyone who bought a home in 2004-2007. And its THOSE people that need the help the most, since they are the ones that are likely under water in regards to loan to value ratios. Especially in high dollar real estate places like California, Hawaii, New York, and some of the larger urban areas.
That item could use some tweaking, if only to adjust for regional differences in housng prices. An average of about 30% of the population itemize taxes, and about 70% of all households are non-renters. So this policy will disenfranchise about 50% of all homeowners. It rewards people that have low mortgage amounts, where the itemised deduction for mortgage interest isn't greater than the standard deduction of about $11K. That means people who have been in their house for 10-20 years, or people buying low cost housing will benefit, but most of the "middle-class" gets left out.
@ Fallakin... I think the white sheet with pointy head is your style. You got issues, boy. I'm as intolerant as they come, but you make me look like Mother Theresa.
Correction Mr. President, I DID build this, and please give Lurker a hug, we wouldn't want to damage his self-esteem.
Embar
Alarius