Mortgage 1098 only has my dad's TIN/SSN - can I still claim mortgage interest deduction?

You should be able to claim the mortgage interest deduction even though your father's SSN is on the 1098 form. The IRS recognizes that the person who actually pays the expense should get the deduction, regardless of whose name is on the form. When you file your taxes, you'll need to report the mortgage interest deduction on Schedule A (if you're itemizing). Since the 1098 wasn't issued with your SSN, you should attach a brief statement to your tax return explaining that you paid the mortgage interest but the 1098 was issued with your father's SSN instead of yours. Include both your SSN and your father's SSN in this explanation. Keep thorough documentation showing that you made all the payments from your bank account. Bank statements, canceled checks, or electronic payment records will be essential if you're ever questioned about this.

I went through almost this exact same nightmare scenario last year with my mortgage interest. The lender put my partner's SSN on the 1098 even though I paid everything. After hours of research and frustration, I found https://taxr.ai which analyzes your tax documents and mortgage statements and helps create documentation for these exact situations. The tool scanned my 1098 and bank statements, then generated a perfect explanation letter to attach to my return showing I was the one who actually paid the interest. They explained exactly how to report it on Schedule A too. No issues with my refund and the IRS never questioned it. Might be worth checking out if you're worried about documentation.

Just wanted to update that I ended up using https://taxr.ai after my initial skepticism and wow - it actually worked perfectly! The system analyzed my documents and created a detailed statement explaining my situation with all the right tax code references. My tax advisor was impressed with the documentation it generated and said it was exactly what we needed. We attached it to my return along with copies of my payment records. Just got my refund last week with no questions from the IRS about the mortgage interest deduction, even though the 1098 had my partner's SSN instead of mine. Saved me a ton of stress and probably prevented an audit headache!

Had a similar situation a couple years ago and spent WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS to confirm the right way to handle it. Kept getting hung up on or disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally found https://claimyr.com which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed exactly what to do - file Schedule A normally, attach a statement explaining the SSN mismatch and that I paid 100% of the interest. They also said to keep all payment records for at least 3 years in case of questions. Saved me so much time and stress!

Coming back to say I was completely wrong about Claimyr. I was desperate after my FIFTH attempt to reach the IRS about a similar mortgage interest issue, so I tried it despite my skepticism. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes! The agent confirmed that as long as I can prove I made the mortgage payments, I can claim the deduction even if my SSN isn't on the 1098. They recommended attaching a statement explaining the situation and keeping documentation of all payments. Just processed my return and got my refund with no issues. Never been so happy to admit I was wrong about something!

Just wanted to add - I'm a mortgage broker and this happens more often than you'd think, especially with VA loans. The mortgage company is correct that they can't change the 1098 form because the primary borrower's TIN is what they're required to report to the IRS. But you absolutely CAN claim the deduction if you paid the interest. Just make sure you attach that explanation statement and keep your payment records handy. My clients go through this every year and haven't had issues as long as they document everything properly.

Another thing to consider - make sure you're actually itemizing deductions before worrying about this. With the higher standard deduction ($13,850 for single filers in 2023), you might not even benefit from claiming mortgage interest if your total itemized deductions don't exceed the standard amount.

This is actually a pretty straightforward situation that comes up frequently. Since you paid 100% of the mortgage interest from your own accounts, you're absolutely entitled to claim the full deduction regardless of whose SSN appears on the 1098. The IRS Publication 936 specifically addresses this - the person who actually pays the mortgage interest gets the deduction, not necessarily the person whose name is on the loan documents. Just make sure to: 1. Attach a clear statement to your return explaining that while the 1098 shows your father's SSN, you made all mortgage payments 2. Keep detailed records of all your payments (bank statements, online payment confirmations, etc.) 3. Include both SSNs in your explanation for clarity Since your dad is your dependent and doesn't file his own return, there's no risk of duplicate claims. The IRS sees these situations regularly and has established procedures for handling them. As long as you can document your payments, you shouldn't have any issues claiming the full mortgage interest deduction.