James and three college friends want to buy a houseboat with each of them owning an equal share. If the lender issues a joint 1098 showing interest, PMI and points paid in the amount of $3000, how much can James deduct as expenses on his federal tax return?

James can deduct as expenses on his federal tax return $750.

Explanation:

When buying a houseboat, you’ll likely have to pay a monthly fee for the slip. Sometimes, the slip or the dock is included in the purchase, but often, you’ll have to pay rent. If buying a floating home, you’ll probably have a fee similar to a homeowners association fee. These monthly fees can range from a couple of hundred dollars to more than $700, Marden says.

You can have only one second home for purposes of the mortgage interest deductions. For example, if you have two houses, one of which is your primary residence and one that you use as a vacation home, you have to substitute your boat for your existing second home if you want to take a boat tax deduction. In addition, for tax years prior to 2018, joint filers are limited to deducting the interest on the first $1 million of mortgage debt. However, for tax years 2018 and forward, you may only deduct interest on the first $750,000 of mortgage debt originated after December 16, 2017. So, if you're already over the limit your boat loan won't help you even if it otherwise qualifies.

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