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New Vehicle Tax Deduction

Audio: New Vehicle Tax Deduction

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides a deduction for state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase of new cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles through 2009. The deduction is available regardless of whether a taxpayer itemizes deductions on Schedule A. Purchases before Feb. 17, 2009, are not eligible for this special deduction.

The deduction is limited to the tax on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of an eligible motor vehicle. The deduction is phased out for joint filers with modified adjusted gross income between $250,000 and $260,000 and other taxpayers with modified AGI between $125,000 and $135,000.
Recovery.gov
Taxpayers who make qualifying new vehicle purchase this year can estimate their deduction with the help of IRS Publication 919, "How Do I Adjust My Withholding?" Worksheet 10, lines 10a to 10k take into account purchases above the $49,500 limit, as well as the income phase-outs.

News release 2009-30 has more details.

Seven Facts about the New Sales Tax Deduction


(Corrected April 21, 2009)
Taxpayers who buy a new car or several other types of motor vehicles this year may be entitled to a special tax deduction when they file their 2009 federal tax returns next year. The tax break is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Here are seven things you should know about this new deduction:
  1. State and local sales taxes paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of qualifying vehicles are deductible.
  2. Qualified motor vehicles generally include new (not used) cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles.
  3. Purchases must occur after Feb. 16, 2009, and before Jan. 1, 2010.
  4. This deduction can be taken regardless of whether or not you itemize other deductions on your tax return.
  5. Taxpayers will claim this deduction when filing their 2009 federal income tax return next year.
  6. The amount of the deduction is phased out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is between $125,000 and $135,000 for individual filers and between $250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers.
  7. The deduction may not be taken on 2008 tax returns.
Consumers who are considering buying a new car may find that this tax incentive means there may have never been a better time to buy.

For more information about the sales and excise tax deduction for motor vehicle purchases visit the official IRS web site at IRS.gov.
 
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