Receiving Tax Credits As A First-Time Home Purchaser

You may not know it, but as a new house purchaser you could be entitled to tax credits. This will depend on which state you reside in or whether you qualify for federal credits.

State tax credits for new home buyers vary in regards to details and time limits. If you are planning the purchase of a new home, check to see what tax credits you might be able to qualify for.

Federal tax credit programs are often used to stimulate new home sales and to boost the overall economy. These tax credit programs have been used recently as a stimulus for the real estate industry.

Before you can avail of the federal tax credit program, you need to know for sure if you qualify. Taxpayers can enjoy the gains of these tax credits when they file their yearly federal tax return.

Often these credits have been designed specifically for those who are buying their first house, but increasingly they are being offered to others who may qualify. Usually, though, if you are to have any hope of getting it, you have to meet certain regulations and your place must have been bought within a certain period of time.

There are other requirements that must be met, such as meeting any limits in regards to your modified adjusted gross income. There are generally residency requirements in regards to the house being your main residence.

The term "first time home buyer" can vary in meaning, depending on the tax credit program. In the case of the most recent tax credit, this meant that either the person or their spouse could not have owned a home within three years of the purchase of the qualifying home. The most recent tax credit program was also available for long-time home owners under certain qualifying circumstances.

The recent First Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit required that the person entered into the contract to buy the home before the program ended on April 30, 2010. However, members of the U.S. military and certain federal employees who are currently serving outside of the country will have another year in order to buy a home and still qualify for the credit.

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Tax Season: Ways You Can Spend Your Returns

For most people, tax season can be a dreadful time. The new changes in the tax code and trying to make sure you have all of the essential items such as important documents and receipts can make the tax filing process very frustrating and time consuming. Most experts say that you can make the filing process much easier if you take the time to prepare instead of waiting until the very last minute. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The average tax refund that Canadians receive is approximately $1,400.

Many Canadians will use that money to go on a holiday or have a shopping spree; however, there are many other ways that you can put your tax refund to use. Your tax refund can help you get ahead with your personal finances.

Here are several, useful things you can do with your tax refund.

1. Invest it Why not put the money you just got back and invest it on your own future? Invest it into your mutual funds, or put it away into your retirement fund. Grow a nest egg that you can enjoy when you finally go into your well deserved retirement.

2. Pay Off Debts Owing money to creditors can bring a lot of unwanted stress and pressure. Use your tax refund to pay off debts and get your finances back in order. Even if the money isn't enough to clear all your debts, the money will reduce the principal and bring you that much closer to being debt free.

3. University Fund It's never too early to start saving for your children's education. Put it away into an RESP. With the rising costs of tuition, this may be one of the smartest moves you're doing to secure a bright future for them. In addition, it's a valuable lesson for your kids to plan ahead. As a result, when they find out they have a nice fund waiting for them to complete their education; they can focus on what's important, learning.

4. Home Improvement Have you been waiting for the right time to do that perfect renovation? Why not spend your return on improving your home? You can renovate your kitchen, change the bathroom, even change the overall theme of your house! This is a great way to breathe new life into your home, while increasing its value.

5. Save it. If all else fails, you can always first put it into a savings account, and worry about it later. At the very least, it will still earn some interest (even if it is at historical lows), and in the long run, compound interest will take its effect.

The number one reason why people file their taxes in the first place is so they can get their tax returns. Use the windfall to pay off some debt, save it for the future, or even dabble in some investing. This money is yours to spend as you will; however, using it wisely can help towards gaining greater financial stability.

Adriana Noton is a freelance writer who writes on a variety of financial topics including personal budgeting and debt consolidation. For more information about personal finance and credit help, ConsolidatedCredit.ca is a tremendous resource on the topic for Canadians.

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Learn How to Get Out of Debt Today with Freedom Debt Management

Having credit is one of the most important things in any economy. You must have credit to purchase things like a home or a car. An even smaller item like the television in your living room requires that you have credit.

The problem with the great supply of credit in this country is that that some people choose to abuse it. Credit abuse takes place when people buy things on credit that they cannot afford. It is for this reason that people fall into credit card debt and need some assistance to get out.

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