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HR 1490 97th Congress House Taxation Home ownership Housing and Housing Finance Housing finance Income tax Savings accounts Tax credits Tax exclusion

First Home Ownership Act of 1981

Introduced: January 29, 1981 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 97th Congress ended
It never became law before the 97th Congress (1981–1982) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 29, 1981
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jan 29, 1981
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

First-Home Ownership Act of 1981 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals who have never owned a home an income tax credit for certain amounts contributed to an individual housing account. Limits the cash amount of such credit to $2,500 for any taxable year, and $10,000 during the taxpayer's lifetime. Requires contributions made to an individual housing account to remain in such account for at least 12 months.

Establishes a schedule of percentages, graduated downward according to adjusted gross income, for purposes of determining the amount of contribution to an individual housing account which may be credited against income tax liability.

Exempts individual housing account trusts from income taxation. Imposes tax penalties on amounts distributed from an individual housing account for purposes other than the purchase of a principal residence.

Requires the trustee of an individual housing account to report to the Internal Revenue Service with respect to contributions to and distributions from such account. Imposes fines for failure to make such report.

What's happening now January 29, 1981

Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1490: First Home Ownership Act of 1981. 97th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-1490/
MLA
"H.R. 1490: First Home Ownership Act of 1981." 97th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-1490/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1490, 97th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-1490/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1490: First Home Ownership Act of 1981](https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-1490/)
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