Is private mortgage insurance (PMI) tax-deductible?

You might not remember it, but in 2019, Congress reintroduced a federal tax deduction for private mortgage insurance (PMI), that extra monthly fee lenders charge if you make a down payment under 20 percent. This break allowed homeowners who were paying mortgage insurance the ability to write off the premiums for tax years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 if they itemized their tax deductions.

The deduction expired at the end of 2021. However, if you didn’t claim the PMI tax deduction when you were eligible, you may be able to file an amended return and claim it retroactively.

Is mortgage insurance tax-deductible?

No, private mortgage insurance isn’t tax-deductible now. The mortgage insurance deduction was only available for eligible homeowners for the 2018–2021 tax years.

“The tax deduction for private mortgage insurance expired at the end of 2021, and Congress has not extended this provision,” says Dana Ronald, the CEO of the Tax Crisis Institute, a consultancy serving California and Nevada. “This means homeowners can no longer claim a deduction for PMI premiums on their federal income taxes starting from the 2022 tax year.”

PMI tax deduction requirements

If you were eligible for the PMI tax deduction but didn’t take it, you might be able to amend old returns to claim it. If you do, keep in mind:

• The deduction is allowed only if the mortgage on which you paid PMI was taken out on or after Jan. 1, 2007.
• A home refinanced after Jan. 1, 2007 still qualifies for PMI deduction if it was your primary residence.
• A second home might qualify for the deduction if the mortgage was taken out on or after Jan. 1, 2007, but it depends on how the home was used. PMI on a second property only qualifies if the home was used by you personally, not rented out.

There were also restrictions to PMI deductions, including:

• The mortgage insurance deduction only applied to refinanced funds up to the original loan amount, not any extra money you took out with the new loan (as in a cash-out refi).

Once again, this tax deduction is not available for the 2022 tax years and beyond.

How much can you save with the PMI tax deduction?

Homeowners typically pay between $30 and $70 a month in PMI premiums for every $100,000 of financing, according to Freddie Mac estimates. The premiums comprise part of your monthly repayments, along with the mortgage’s principal and interest. However, the size of the down payment, loan type and lender requirements can all affect your actual cost.

How much you can save depends on how much you owe and your tax bracket. Let’s say your adjusted gross income was $100,000 and you paid $120 per month in PMI premiums when the PMI tax deduction was still available. Assuming you itemize deductions and that you can fully deduct all of the premiums, you would reduce your taxable income by $1,440.

PMI tax deduction FAQ

• Can you claim PMI deduction for past years?

  No, the mortgage insurance tax deduction has not been available since the 2021 tax year.
  

• Is PMI on an FHA loan tax deductible?

  At this time, mortgage insurance premium tax deductions are not available on any loans, including FHA loans.
  

• How can I cancel my PMI?

  Once your loan-to-value ratio falls below 80 percent, you can request in writing that your mortgage servicer cancel your PMI. Learn about one Bankrate writer’s experience about how rising home values helped him remove PMI and lower his mortgage bill.
  

Additional reporting by Taylor Freitas