Hi - I am filing my taxes - married jointly - two incomes.

We've always used Standard deductions - except this year I realized my in-laws houses mortgage interest/property tax, which my sister law (primary) and my wife (secondary) signed - is not getting claimed. The house mortgage paperwork 1098 and the property tax from the tax collector was claimed past 3 years by my sister in law - But this year she did not.

Neither my wife nor my sister in law live in that house, my parent-in-laws pay the mortgage, except they dont claim it, since the house is not under their name.

My question is can me and my wife claim the countrywide form under itemized along with the county tax letter?

Thanks!
Edit by Moderator: Thank you for participating in the forums. However, this topic has been covered in a recent post Here.

For proper accounting to better pass an audit, have your in-laws write the checks directly to your sister-in-law and wife. Your sister-in-law and wife should then write their own checks to the mortgage company.

In reality, your parent-in-laws are really giving your sister-in-law and wife a gift. Review the gift tax laws to see whether your parent-in-laws owe taxes for the gift, although there is a life-time exemption amount per inheritance tax.

Thanks - but for now can we just itemize our and list it there - to my understanding we are not doing anything incorrect - since her name is on the document - just wondering if it would be a problem - or if what my thought process is correct?

Are you saying: your wife's parents live in a house which is owned by your wife and her sister; the mortgage is in the name of your wife and her sister; your wife's parents pay the mortgage and taxes?

The answer to that question is 'Yes'.

I think I am going to forgo this - all I'm saving is $150 doing it itemized using that mortgage paperwork vs. choosing standard deduction.