Updated FAQs were released to the public in Fact Sheet 2024-15 PDF, April 17, 2024. This fact sheet contains all of the FAQs in one downloadable PDF. Background Public Law 117-169, 136 Stat. 1818 (August 16, 2022), commonly known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), amended the credits for energy efficient home improvements under § 25C of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) and residential energy property under § 25D of the Code. These FAQs provide details on the IRA's changes to these tax credits, information on eligible expenditures, and provides examples of how the credit limitations work. General overview of the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit Through December 31, 2022, the energy efficient home improvement credit is a $500 lifetime credit. As amended by the IRA, the energy efficient home improvement credit is increased for years after 2022, with an annual credit of generally up to $1,200. Beginning January 1, 2023, the amount of the credit is equal to 30% of the sum of amounts paid by the taxpayer for certain qualified expenditures, including (1) qualified energy efficiency improvements installed during the year, (2) residential energy property expenditures during the year, and (3) home energy audits during the year. There are limits on the allowable annual credit and on the amount of credit for certain types of qualified expenditures (see Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit: Qualifying Expenditures and Credit Amount questions 1 and 2). The credit is allowed for qualifying property placed in service on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2033. General overview of the Residential Clean Energy Property Credit The residential clean energy property credit is a 30-percent credit for certain qualified expenditures made by a taxpayer for residential energy efficient property. The IRA extended the residential clean energy property credit through 2034, modified the applicable credit percentage rates, and added battery storage technology as an eligible expenditure. The credit applies for property placed in service after December 31, 2021, and before January 1, 2033. The credit percentage rate phases down to 26 percent for property placed in service in 2033, 22 percent for property placed in service in 2034, and no credit is available for property placed in service after December 31, 2034. Energy efficient home improvement: Qualifying expenditures and credit amount Residential clean energy property: Qualifying expenditures and credit amount Energy efficiency requirements Qualifying residence Labor costs Timing of credits General questions Examples Previous updates to FAQs Fact Sheet 2022-40 PDF, Dec. 22, 2022
