Its not to late for 2014 Tax Planning

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If you are thinking about purchasing a new vehicle consider this. 

Internal Revenue Code Section 30D provides a credit for Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicles including passenger vehicles and light trucks.  

For vehicles acquired after December 31, 2009, the credit is equal to $2,500 plus, for a vehicle which draws propulsion energy from a battery with at least 5 kilowatt hours of capacity, $417, plus an additional $417 for each kilowatt hour of battery capacity in excess of 5 kilowatt hours. The total amount of the credit allowed for a vehicle is limited to $7,500.

What is a §1031 Exchange?

A §l031 Exchange is a transaction in which a taxpayer is allowed to exchange one investment property for another by deferring the tax consequence of a sale. The transaction is authorized by §1031 of the IRS Code. The investor (or exchanger) must follow the strict 45- / 180-day guidelines for an exchange. Once the exchanger sells his/her property (relinquished property) he/she has 45 days to identify property(s) of equal or greater value. Once identified, the exchanger has 180 days from the day he/she sold their property to acquire the property(s) identified (or 135 days from the end of the 45-day period).  

After selling your home, how much time do you have to reinvest money in new home, before you are liable for capital gains tax?

Capital gains on your primary residence don't kick in until you reach $250k as a single or $500k as a couple. Keep in mind that the cost basis should also include any capital expenditures you made while owning your home. Several people mentioned a 1031 exchange which has nothing to do with your primary residence. There could be an exception if you rented the home recently, declared the income and expenses or depreciated the home.

If you or if you know anyone that may have had a loan with Bank of America or any of its affiliates, including Countrywide,  have them call this number.  They may be able the received relief or a cash settlement. 877.488.7814.

Know your loan limits
A good place to check out what you can deduct before you borrow is the chart on page 3 of IRS Publication 936. It’ll walk you through the requirements you must meet to deduct all of your home loan interest.  The first hurdle you'll run into is the total amount of your loan or loans. In general, individuals and couples filing jointly can deduct interest on loans up to $1 million ($500,000 if you're married and filing separately). The money must have been used for acquisition costs — that is the cost to buy, build, or substantially improve a home.  

The same $1 million limit applies whether you have one home or two. Buying a vacation home doesn't double your loan limits. And two homes is the max; you can't deduct a mortgage for a third home. If you have a mortgage you took out before Oct. 13, 1987, you have fewer restrictions on claiming a full deduction. The calculations for "grandfathered debt" can get complex, so get help from a tax professional or refer to IRS Publication 936.

Whatever you do, don't forget that you can also deduct the points and fees associated with a first or second mortgage when you initially buy your home

Spend loan proceeds wisely
The other limitation comes into play when you take out a home equity loan or HELOC, even if you don’t use the proceeds to buy, build, or improve your home. In that case, you can deduct interest on up to $100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately) on outstanding home equity debt. This loan limit also applies in a cash-out refi, in which you refinance and take out part of the equity you’ve built up as cash.  That means if you decide to take out a $115,000 home equity loan to buy that Porsche, you can deduct the interest on the first $100,000 but not on the $15,000 that exceeds the limit. Use the same $115,000 to add a new bedroom, however, and the full amount is allowable under the $1 million cap. Keep in mind, though, that the $115,000 gets added into the pot of whatever else you owe on your other home loans. In many cases, points and loan origination costs for HELOCs are deductible.

Consider this simplified scenario: You borrow $250,000 against your home at 8% interest. That means you’ll pay $20,000 in interest the first year. Spend the $250,000 on home improvements, and all of the interest is deductible. Spend $150,000 on improvements and $100,000 on your kids’ college tuition, and all the interest is still deductible.

Beware the dreaded AMT
Even if you've followed all the loan limit rules, you can still get stuck paying tax on mortgage interest. How come? It's all thanks to the Alternative Minimum Tax. Congress created the AMT, which limits or eliminates many deductions, as a way to keep the wealthy from dodging their fair share of taxes.

Calculating the AMT can be complex, but if you make more than $75,000 and have several kids or other deductions, you might well be subject to it. Problem is, if you fall into the AMT group, you may not be able to deduct interest on a home equity loan, even if the loan falls within the $1 million/$100,000 limit. If you're subject to the AMT and borrow money against the value of your home, you'll have to use it to buy, build, or improve your place, or you may not have a chance to deduct the interest.