Taxes Tax Credits & Deductions Is Credit Card Interest Tax Deductible? By LaToya Irby LaToya Irby LaToya Irby is a credit expert who has been covering credit and debt management for The Balance for more than a dozen years. She's been quoted in USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, and the Associated Press, and her work has been cited in several books. learn about our editorial policies Updated on January 9, 2023 Reviewed by Ebony J. Howard Reviewed by Ebony J. Howard Ebony Howard is a certified public accountant and a QuickBooks ProAdvisor tax expert. She has been in the accounting, audit, and tax profession for more than 13 years, working with individuals and a variety of companies in the health care, banking, and accounting industries. learn about our financial review board Fact checked by Mrinalini Krishna In This Article View All In This Article Interest on Personal Expenses Not Tax Deductible Exception for Businesses and the Self-Employed Other Types of Tax Deductible Interest The Bottom Line Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Photo: Petri Ceschger / Getty Images When the tax season rolls around, taxpayers look for more ways to reduce their tax liability by taking deductions that lower their taxable income. Unfortunately, credit card interest can only be deducted as a business expense for business owners and independent workers, in most cases. There may be good news, though. If you are one of the millions of U.S. workers participating in the gig workforce, you may be able to deduct your credit card interest when you file your tax returns this year. Key Takeaways Credit card interest for qualified business expenses may be tax deductible but not for personal expensesThe IRS doesn’t specify that a business credit card must be used to claim the credit card interest deductionIRS says if you borrow money and use it both for business and personal expenses, you may be able to deduct only interest paid for the business expenseIt may be beneficial to use separate cards for for business and personal expenses Interest on Personal Expenses Is Not Tax Deductible The 1980s saw major changes to the tax code with the passing of The Tax Reform Act of 1986. Among those changes was the elimination of personal credit-card interest as a deductible expense, which meant taxpayers could no longer deduct interest paid on balances. Because deductions for personal interest aren’t allowed, this means you can’t deduct interest you pay on credit cards, loans used for personal expenses, service charges, and interest related to tax-exempt income unrelated to business expenses. You can't even deduct credit card interest if you used the credit card for a purchase whose interest that would otherwise be deductible if you used another debt instrument—like real estate, home improvements, or college tuition. Exception for Businesses and the Self-Employed If you’re a gig worker or have a business, you may be able to deduct credit card interest you’ve paid. Businesses, contractors, and other self-employed individuals are allowed to deduct credit card interest when they use the purchases for qualified business expenses. You must be fully liable for the credit card purchases, meaning the expenses must have been paid on your own credit card. Your monthly credit card billing statements for the previous tax year can serve as a reference for the amount of interest you’ve paid on business expenses. If you’ve used the same credit card for both personal and business purchase, you'll have to separate out your business expenses, then calculate the amount of interest you paid only on your business purchases. The IRS doesn’t specify that a business credit card must be used so you can deduct credit card interest for business expenses even if they were made on a personal credit card. Again, you’ll need to make sure to separate personal purchases from business expenses and calculate the interest applied to business expenses. Note Start using a separate credit card for business expenses to make accounting easier. For record keeping purposes, file away your receipts and credit card statements detailing interest, so you have them when it's time to file your tax return. Allowable Interest Expense In tax years after December 31, 2017, there’s a limit on the amount of business interest you can deduct for businesses that have $26 million or more in gross receipts. The IRS caps the deduction at: Your business interest income30% of your adjustable taxable income (up to 50%, in some cases)Your floor-plan financing interest expense Types of Interest That Are Tax Deductible While personal credit card interest can't be deducted, there are other types of interest that you may be able to deduct. Qualified mortgage interest, if you’re the homebuyerInterest paid on investments (limited to your net investment income)Student loan interest, up to $2,500 paid during the year as long as you meet certain basic criteriaBusiness interest, for qualified businesses expenses Note If you’ve prepaid interest, you can only deduct it in the year the interest is applied, with the exception of points paid on your primary residence or a second home. The Bottom Line Consumers can’t deduct credit card interest paid on personal expenses. However, you may be able to deduct credit card interest paid on qualified business purchases, no matter what type of credit card you use. Consult with a tax professional about your tax situation to get specific advice about whether the interest you paid is tax-deductible. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) When is credit card interest tax deductible? According to the IRS, credit card interest and installment interest for personal expenses are not tax deductible. However, credit card interest incurred on business expenses may be tax deductible. When was credit card interest tax deductible on income tax? Prior to 1986, you could claim a tax deduction for interest paid on credit cards for personal expenses. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 eliminated that provision. Now you may only be able to claim a deduction for credit card interest incurred for qualifying business expenses. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Congress.gov. "H.R.3838 - Tax Reform Act of 1986." IRS. "Publication 535, Business Expenses." IRS. "Publication 535 Business Expenses—Interest Expense Limitation." IRS. "Publication 936, Home Interest Deduction." IRS. "Form 4952, Investment Interest Expense Deduction," Page 3. IRS. "Topic No. 456: Student Loan Interest Deduction." IRS. "Home Mortgage Points." Congress.gov. "H.R.3838 - Tax Reform Act of 1986."