Public Law 117-169, 136 Stat. 1818 (August 16, 2022), commonly known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), amended the credits for energy efficient home improvements under § 25C of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) and residential energy property under § 25D of the Code. These FAQs provide details on the IRA’s changes to these tax credits, information on eligible expenditures, and provides examples of how the credit limitations work.

General Overview of the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit

Through December 31, 2022, the energy efficient home improvement credit is a $500 lifetime credit. As amended by the IRA, the energy efficient home improvement credit is increased for years after 2022, with an annual credit of generally up to $1,200. Beginning January 1, 2023, the amount of the credit is equal to 30% of the sum of amounts paid by the taxpayer for certain qualified expenditures, including (1) qualified energy efficiency improvements installed during the year, (2) residential energy property expenditures during the year, and (3) home energy audits during the year. There are limits on the allowable annual credit and on the amount of credit for certain types of qualified expenditures (see Q -1 and 2 below). The credit is allowed for qualifying property placed in service on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2033.

To read the full article and FAQs, visit:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2022-40.pdf