Confusion About What Is Covered by the Residential Energy Tax Creidts

by JC Leahy
MA Accounting

Okay, Tax Time cometh and I'm sensing that people are confused about what is, and is not,  included in the the current 2009/2010 version of the Residential Energy Tax Credits.  First of all, to answer most questions, here's what energy-efficient items are NOT qualified for the credit:

Ceiling fans

Clothes washers & dryers
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)
Dehumidifiers
Dishwashers
Electric furnaces/boilers
Electric storage tank water heaters
Electric Tankless water heaters
Evaporative Coolers (swamp coolers)
Lighting (Light Fixtures, CFLs, LEDs)
Ovens / Ranges
Power Factor Correction Devices
Programmable thermostats
Refrigerators
Roof coatings
Room air conditioners
TVs
Toilets
Window Treatments
Whole house fans


And, in short, here are the items that may qualify for the residential energy tax credits:

Tax Credit 30% up to $1,500:

Biomass stoves
Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning
Insulation
Roofs (metal & asphalt)
Water heaters (non-solar)

Tax Credit 30% up to no limit:

Geothermal heat pumps
Wind turbines
Solar energy systems

Tax Creidt 30% of cost up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity:

Fuel cells (residential fuel cell and microturbine system)

For more detail, click here for my EARLIER ARTICLE

By the way, make haste!  These credits expire 12/31/2010.