Green Tax Incentives for the Home (Part II)

In Part I we covered the Non-business Energy Homeowner Credit provided in IRC Sec. 25C. In this post we'll cover the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit provided in IRC Sec. 25D.

Like the IRC Sec. 25C Credit, this is available to individual taxpayers and is based on the cost of energy efficiency improvements made to their United States residence. The nonrefundable credit is for 30% of certain expenditures. With one exception however, the expenditures under 25D need not be made to a principle residence, making the credit available on multiple residences located in the United States.

It should be noted that 25D credits can offset both regular and AMT tax. Any credit allowed under 25D reduces the basis of the property by the amount of the credit.

In general, this tax credit covers:

• Qualified solar electric property expenditures;
• Qualified solar water heating property expenditures;
• Qualified fuel cell property expenditures;
• Qualified small wind energy property expenditures;
• Qualified geothermal heat pump property expenditures;

It should be noted that many of these credits had limits between $500 and $2,000 prior to 2009. A number of new laws eliminated the limits on everything but the fuel cell property for the years 2009 through 2016.

Labor costs to prepare, assemble and install the property is included in the credit calculation. Expenditures to heat a swimming pool or hot tub are not allowed.

Taxpayers should get documentation from the manufacturer to claim the credit. The credit can be claimed by properly completing Form 5695 (Residential Energy Credits) and attaching it to the taxpayer's Form 1040.