Statement: U.S. Congress Extending Mortgage Insurance Tax Deduction

January 17, 2020

WASHINGTON — U.S. Mortgage Insurers (USMI) President Lindsey Johnson issued the following statement on the decision made by the U.S. Congress to extend the tax deduction for mortgage insurance (MI) premiums in the H.R.1865 – Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020.

“We are pleased Congress extended the mortgage insurance tax deduction for years 2018 through the end of 2020. Private MI has helped more than 30 million middle-income Americans become homeowners over the last 60 years, and for over 10 years the deductibility of mortgage insurance has helped benefit millions of these hard-working borrowers—the majority of whom made annual incomes of less than $75,000.  

“This tax deduction was first available to taxpayers in 2007 and extended multiple times since then on a bipartisan basis. The last deduction expired at the end of 2016, and with this last extension for amounts paid or accrued after December 31, 2017, and before December 31, 2020, lawmakers demonstrate their commitment towards helping low-down payment and first-time homebuyers.

“Over the last six decades, private MI has bridged the gap between a 20 percent down payment and access to mortgage finance credit.  In the past year alone, MI helped more than 1.2 million homeowners purchase or refinance homes.”

According to the most recent IRS statistics of income, in 2017 alone more than 2.285 million taxpayers benefited from the MI premium tax deduction. The deduction is available to homeowners with MI who have an adjusted gross income under $100,000 and phases-out for adjusted gross incomes up to $110,000. USMI data show that nearly 60 percent of purchase loans with private MI go to first-time homebuyers and more than 40 percent of borrowers with private MI have incomes below $75,000.

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U.S. Mortgage Insurers (USMI) is dedicated to a housing finance system backed by private capital that enables access to housing finance for borrowers while protecting taxpayers. Mortgage insurance offers an effective way to make mortgage credit available to more people. USMI is ready to help build the future of homeownership. Learn more at www.usmi.org.