It is becoming increasingly common for couples to live together and remain unmarried, which can lead to potential tax problems when they share the expenses of a home but only one of them is liable for the debt on that home.

Home mortgage interest can generally be deducted only by a person who is legally obligated to pay the mortgage (in other words, a person who is named as an obligor on the mortgage document). However, there is an exception to the preceding general rule for interest paid on a real estate mortgage when a person is a legal or equitable owner of the real estate but is not directly liable for the debt.

For example, if the one who is not liable on the mortgage makes the payment, that Read More