A Mortgage Credit Certificate is a first time home buyer benefit available in DC, VA and MD.  You may be eligible if you have not owned real estate in the past three years.

While I am not a tax advisor, I will explain the benefits and costs of applying for an MCC.

If you are utilizing the MMP in Maryland or the DC Open Doors program in DC or VHDA in VA, you will have an option to apply for MCC.  An MCC will greatly increase the tax benefits of home ownership.

For home owners who live in their property as a principal residence, they will be able to save on their income taxes by deducting from their income the property taxes and interest they pay on their loan.  So on a sample $400,000 loan at a 5% interest rate, the home owner will pay over $20,000 in a given year in interest and perhaps $4000 in property taxes.  So if that home owner makes $100,000 now they actually pay income taxes on $100,000-$20,000-$4,000=$76,000.

This is an enormous tax savings and if this person is in the 28% tax bracket they will save $24,000 * .28 =$6720 in income tax.


The MCC will provide an additional credit on top of the savings the home owner is already entitled to.  You will earn this credit for the time period you live in the property.  The credit is 20% of the interest you pay.  So if you pay $20,000 in interest in a given year, you’ll get $20,000 * .2 = $4000 in additional tax savings.  A credit is better than a deduction since it’s a reduction in your tax obligation, as opposed to a reduction in your taxable income.  The remaining $16,000 in interest and $4,000 in taxes can still be deducted from your taxable income using the above formula.  So it’s the $4000 from the MCC plus ($20,000 * .28 =$5,600) equals a total income tax savings of $9,600 for the MCC holder instead of just the $6,720 everyone is entitled to.


It’s for this reason that MCCs are very popular.  Applying for them does require additional documentation and time and requires fees.  In DC expect to pay additional fees of about $1,350-$2,225.  In MD the additional fees are $800-$1,800.  In VA there is no cost to the MCC if financing through the VHDA loan program, or it’s $1,000 if you are getting a loan not through the program.

You will need to document that your household income doesn’t exceed the program income caps (In DC it’s $140,640 for 1-2 family members or $164,080 for 3+) and in MD it  varies by county, and in VA here are the caps.

There are also sales price and property type restrictions.  You cannot get an MCC on a co-operative, for example.  Here is more info on MMP in Maryland or the DC Open Doors or VHDA.

To calculate your MCC savings, ask me to forward you an excel spreadsheet which is an easy calculator.  Maryland has an annual savings cap of $2,000.  DC and VA have no cap.

While the DC Open Doors program does allow non-occupant co-signers who help someone else qualify, when you utilize a non-occupant co-signer you are not eligible for the MCC.

In all 3 jurisdictions you can claim the MCC for as long as you have the mortgage from the purchase, and you continue to live in the property.  In Maryland, you can get your MCC re-issued if we submit the needed documentation to the state in connection simultaneously with your refinance. In DC & Virginia, you cannot get your MCC re-issued.

Questions?  Reach out to me at or 240 479 7658

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