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October 2010

Virgin Islands landlords receving $600 or more annually in rent from real estate will be required to file Form VI-1099 with the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and with their tenants.  They will also have to send Form VI-1099’s to the BIR for all service providers such as plumbers, electricians, handymen, accountants, etc. for rental property services provided to the landlord for payments of $600 or more.  To ensure compliance, the BIR may levy penalties of $50 for each failed to file Form VI-1099 or with the tenant or service provider.  These penalties are capped at $100,000 or $250,000 depending on the delinquency.

Designed to close the tax gap, this new legislation was passed to ensure that income paid to contractors gets reported accurately and deductions for work and improvements or rental properties can be verified by the VI-1099 form. While this new reporting requirement will not impact rental properties held out as a trade or business (owning multiple properties and a full-time business) since they are already covered, it will affect smaller, “mom and pop” landlords, who typically are not armed with accountants to track contractors, verify deductions and report taxes. This will also create a new burden for small real estate operations.

Continue Reading VI Landlords Face New Tax Responsibilites

On September 29, the U.S. Congress voted to extend higher loan limits for government-backed mortgages in the U.S. Virgin Islands and other high cost areas, a move that should help keep borrowing costs low and support the housing sector.

At the height of the financial crisis in 2008, the government raised the ceiling on the size of loans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could buy. At the time, the private market for so-called jumbo loans had all but dried up.

The legislation approved by the House of Representatives and Senate, which President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law, would keep in place until September 30,  2011 the higher $729,750 ceiling for single-family home mortgages in high cost areas such as the U.S. Virgin Islands.Continue Reading Congress Extends Higher Loan Limits for VI Fed Backed Mortgages