Cheapest mortgages - First Quarter Sales Figures For Hybrid Vehicles Impact The New Hybrid Car Tax Credit
Jul 27, 2006
Even though the new hybrid car tax credit just took effect January 1, 2006, anyone looking to purchase a hybrid produced by Toyota or Lexus only has until September 30th to qualify for the maximum allowable tax credit. With first quarter sales of 41,779 hybrid vehicles, the allowable credit for their hybrids is on track to be cut in half on October 1, 2006 and then will be fully phased out on September 30, 2007.
Woburn, MA (PRWEB) July 27, 2006 -- The numbers are in. Toyota and Lexus outpaced their rivals by selling a combined 41,779 hybrid vehicles during the first quarter of 2006. Honda sold 9,072 hybrids and Ford and Mercury sold a combined 6,192 hybrids during the first three months of 2006.
Why are these sales figures important? "Effective January 1, 2006, anyone who purchases a new hybrid vehicle is eligible for a tax credit of up to $3,400," explains Andrew Schwartz CPA, founder of CPA Niche, LLC (www.cpaniche.com), a site where taxpayers can interact with CPAs who specialize in a variety of niches such as healthcare, real estate professionals, and lawyers. "The catch is this credit begins to phase out for each manufacturer upon selling 60,000 hybrids," as follows:
* The full credit is allowed through the end of the quarter following the quarter during which the manufacturer sells its 60,000th hybrid vehicle after January 1, 2006.
* The credit is cut in half for the subsequent two quarters.
* The credit is then cut to twenty-five percent of the original credit for the subsequent two quarters.
* No credit is allowed for vehicles purchased from that manufacturer thereafter.
The hybrid car tax credit is currently set to expire on December 31, 2010. "Even so, if you're thinking about purchasing a Toyota or Lexus, don't delay!" warns Schwartz. "Based on the sales figures for the first quarter of 2006, the allowable credit for their hybrids is on track to be cut in half on October 1, 2006 and then will be fully phased out on September 30, 2007."
The New Hybrid Vehicle Tax Credit
Prior to January 1, 2006, anyone who purchased a new hybrid was eligible to claim the $2,000 "Clean Fuel" deduction. The Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 enacted a more valuable tax credit for hybrid purchasers.
To qualify for this tax credit, the hybrid purchased must be a new vehicle. According to the IRS, "the original use of the vehicle must begin with you", so used vehicles don't qualify. Leasing a hybrid doesn't qualify the lessee for the credit. "If a qualifying vehicle is leased to a consumer, the leasing company may claim the credit," explains the IRS. And the final condition to qualify for this tax credit is that you use your hybrid predominantly within the United States.
Here are the hybrids currently eligible for this new tax credit:
To claim this new tax credit, taxpayers need to complete and attach a Form 8910 (available at www.irs.gov) to their federal income tax return.
While the form seems simple enough to complete, anyone subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) might completely lose out on this new tax break. "And with more and more people paying this tax each year, working through a tax projection is the best way to determine if you'll be hit by the AMT the year you plan to purchase your hybrid vehicle," suggests Schwartz.
Andrew D. Schwartz, CPA is the editor and founder of CPA Niche, LLC (www.cpaniche.com), a site where taxpayers can interact with CPAs who specialize in a variety of niches such as healthcare, real estate professionals, and lawyers. Schwartz has provided tax and basic financial planning advice in interviews with various media, including the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. He is available for interviews.
