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With the recent talk of raising the first-time homebuyer credit, one important question is still open: why are the current checks taking so long to go through? No one expects the tax credit to be instantaneous, and of course the IRS will need to validate each claim. But reports of delayed tax credits are pouring in — and when the tax credit is a key part of financing a new home, this has people nervous.
Continue reading “Where are the First-Time Homebuyer’s Checks?”
One of the fastest responses to the real estate slump was a new homebuyer credit. The plan, of course, was to stimulate new home purchases. It may have already had an effect — housing starts have jumped lately, and the property market has stabilized — but that may not be enough. If the National Association of Realtors gets their new plan enacted, the credit will be nearly doubled, and the “First-Time” part of “First-Time Home Buyer Credit” will be dropped.
Continue reading “Realtors Association Calls for Higher New Home Tax Credit”
New Jersey made headlines today after the state collected as much as $600 million from a tax amnesty. It looks like great news: the state is collecting extra money during a recession, and late tax filers are able to pay back the money they owe without getting bitten by high interest and fees.
The problem is the behavior this engenders. A quick look at their previous tax amnesties reveals the effect this kind of program has on New Jersey taxpayers:
Continue reading “New Jersey Cleverly Increases Back Taxes by 1000%”
