Dear Liz: I lost my job 18 months ago. I am 61 and have back pain that keeps me from standing more than 15 minutes or sitting more than two hours before I have to lie down, which limits my job prospects. I arranged a short sale of my home a year ago to avoid a foreclosure, and recently received a 1099-C form from the lender for $99,000 of forgiven debt. Please warn others about this!
Answer: Don’t panic just yet.
Normally when a lender cancels or forgives debt, you have to include the forgiven amount in your income for tax purposes, which can result in a whopping tax bill.
But the federal Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 provides an exception for homeowners who lose a home to foreclosure, sell it for less than they owe in a short sale or have their debt reduced through a mortgage modification.
You still have to report the forgiven debt on IRS Form 982, but it’s typically not included in your income for federal tax purposes if:
- The home was your primary residence (second homes, vacation property and rentals don’t qualify).
- The forgiven debt was $2 million or less ($1 million for a married person filing separately).
- The debt was forgiven in calendar years 2007 through 2012.
For more information, visit the IRS’ website at http://tinyurl.com/5pe43f. Details can also be found in IRS Publication 4681, Canceled Debts, Foreclosures, Repossessions, and Abandonments.
You’ll have to do a little research to see what you might owe under your state’s income tax laws, which could differ. California, for example, hasn’t updated its law to conform with the federal law for mortgage forgiveness occurring on or after Jan. 1, 2009, although there are several bills pending in the Legislature to do so.
If you’re in California, you might want to bookmark this Franchise Tax Board page at http://tinyurl.com /yhx89zw and check back before filing your taxes April 15 to see if you get any relief.
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