taxes and home energy-saving...

[Jules]

So, we went along and did US taxes yesterday evening (oh joy :-) I noticed that there were credits for various home energy-saving measures; we claimed a few things such as new doors.

I was kind of surprised that they didn't want to know who made the doors, or the name of a professional company who installed them etc. - all that mattered was the receipt for the parts involved.

Does that mean in future I can homebrew my own solar heater or wind turbine (both of which were on the list) and claim for the parts used? Or for things like that do they in fact ask for a product name, company who came and installed it etc.? (I think for the doors it mattered that it was energy-star approved, so maybe that's how they "get ya")

Curious, anyway - I might get around to making a solar pre-heater for the water this year...

cheers

Jules

[DerbyDad03]

I too will be claiming an entry door and a couple of windows.

I can't speak to the reason they don't ask about the manufacturer, but the installer wouldn't matter since you can't claim that cost anyway.

Sure you might argue that by knowing "the professional company who installed them" they might assume that the door/window was installed correctly and will actually save energy over the old one, but we (including the IRS) all know that even the so-called "professionals" can do a crappy job. Stop by my dad's house for a example of the "professionals" doing it wrong.

By your question it appears that you don't think self installers should be eligible for the credit. Maybe you didn't mean that, but that's sort of how it sounds.

Besides, as with other deductions, such as how many shirts you say you gave to the VOA, you don't need a stack of supporting documents

*unless you get audited*. As long as your return doesn't have any red flags that would cause the computer to get curious about your figures, they're going to let your return sail through the system. As long as you stay within the national averages for your income level, they are not going to be concerned with who made your door or how much you gave to your favorite charity.

[KC]

I received a letter/statement from Lowes showing the items I purchased during the year on my Lowes card that will qualify for the tax cedit. A nice surprise that they would take the effort to tally it up for me.

Also got a letter from Social Security saying that since I'm legally blind, I can get my Medicare statements in Braille now. Don't know where they got that info - I don't even wear glasses. Wonder if I can use that letter to claim an extra deduction on my taxes? ;o)

KC

[DerbyDad03]

If the statement from Lowes was also in Braille, then I'd really start worrying.