Best Answer by mukwonago53149

You're partially wrong. If you pay $15,000 a year in interest and property taxes AND you are in the 15% tax bracket, you get to reduce that $15k from your income. This means you will pay $2,250 less in federal income taxes. So in other words, you are paying $15k to save $2k. It's not good business sense, but it's better than not saving anything...but that's not the entire story...it gets worse. You only get to deduct the $15k IF AND ONLY IF you itemize your deductions (instead of taking the standard deduction). If you are married, your standard deduction is $11,400 ($5,700 if you are single). Since you are paying $15k in interest/taxes, you get to deduct an extra $3,600 than you otherwise would have been entitled to anyway. Therefore, your net tax benefit really isn't $2,250. It's only $540 (15% of $3,600). But wait...it gets worse... You are only paying $15k in interest/property taxes the FIRST YEAR of the mortgage. Keep in mind that part of your mortgage payment goes to principle. While your payment each year will be the same, the amount going towards principle and the amount going towards interest will change. Eventually, that $15k payment each year will only be a few thousand worth of interest...at which point there is ZERO tax benefit. ... See all 5 answers