Roof Energy Tax Credit

[dyne]

The first time I researched the credit for a roof, I interpreted what I read was that it
was too complicated to explain and that to get the credit a taxpayer MUST obtain
a Manufacturer Certificaton Statement to qualify for the credit. Since I am snowed in
I again researched the issue and learned the following:
NOT all Energy Star roofs qualify. The roof material must have a high solar reflectance
or a pigmented coating.
Foam roofs do NOT qualify.
Only the asphalt qualifies, NOT the installation cost.
For a vacation home used less than 80% as a main residence, only HALF of the
credit is allowed.
Certain metal roofs with special reflective paint can qualify.
It seems to go back to the requirement that a Manufacturers Certification Statement
is required and the cost of the shingles must be separated from the total cost as
the installation expense does not qualify.
I would appreciate any comments or corrections.

[Kram BergGold]

asphalt roof?

I don't think any kind of asphalt roof qualifies. Just the metal kind with the proper coating.

[Larmil]

I don't think any kind of asphalt roof qualifies. Just the metal kind with the proper coating.

From the Energy Star website:



"Metal roofs with appropriate pigmented coatings" and "asphalt roofs with appropriate cooling granules" that also meet ENERGY STAR requirements. "

[dyne]

An asphalt roof CAN qualify under the new restablished law but the requirements are
so severe few people will qualify unless they plan ahead. WHY do they come up with
these dumb rules? Look up Roof for Energy Credit in Google.

[Larmil]

An asphalt roof CAN qualify under the new restablished law but the requirements are
so severe few people will qualify unless they plan ahead. WHY do they come up with
these dumb rules? Look up Roof for Energy Credit in Google.

Why not go to the source http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?...x_index#chart?

[dyne]

Because that website is too vague regarding a roof!

[Larmil]

Because that website is too vague regarding a roof!

It tells you what CAN qualify and more important from a preparer's point of view it tells you that the client MUST get a manufacturer's certification statement. We are not experts on the qualifications and the sales people are by no means experts.

[dyne]

Your website WAS good until they changed it recently making it ALL difficult to understand.
I found what I posted in my first post from OTHER websites which provide more information.

[Gene V]

roof

The energy wedsite said the following for roof.

Must be an existing home & your principal residence. New construction and rentals do not qualify.

Dyne,
Where did you fine the information on the vacation home use less then 80% and getting
50% of the credit for roof?


You can alway print the 240 page list of roofs that qualify for the credit.

http://downloads.energystar.gov/bi/qplist/roofs_prod_list.pdf

takes awhile to download.

[dyne]

I found the reference to being allowed only HALF of the credit if a vacation home was used
less than 80% as your personal residence on one of a dozen websites I found when I
entered:

Roof energy tax credit in Google.

I do not remember which one it was. I have not seen that in the law itself.

GENE V: Thank you for that website of 240 pages. It is interesting but
the client MUST obtain a Manufacturers Statement before we can allow
the energy credit for an asphalt roof.

The problem which I anticipate is that NO client will bring a Manufacturers
Certification Statement which says that their roof qualifies for this new credit when
they first come to see us. So, we will have to ask the client to OBTAIN such
manufacturers statement for us IF they believe that they MIGHT qualify for the
credit. This will take a week or two or longer and we preparers will have to WAIT
for the certification and in most cases we will be advised that their roof did NOT
qualify for the credit.
More delays!
I again searched the internet and found at various websites:
The Manufacturers Certification Statement must be SIGNED by the manufacturer.
The manufacturer should provide a website which provides such a Manufacturers Certification
Statement.
One website said that the Manufacturers Certification Statement should be downloaded by the taxpayer but
that does not seem to conform to the SIGNING requirement unless the form comes with a
signature already on it.

[dyne]

Section 1121 of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 is the authority
for the new asphalt roof credit.

[dyne]

I just had a client come in who qualifies for the METAL roof energy tax credit.
The rules are MUCH simpler. Only the cost of materials qualifies for the credit
and they provided the bill which stated the cost of the materials. I wish everything
was as simple.