# Tax Credit If You Have Phone Land Line **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2006, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049 "2006-12-06T09:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049/1 "2006-12-06T09:22:39Z")
So a friend of mine who is the queen of glurge actually sent me an email that looks legit - there is a tax credit for everyone who has had a telephone land line for a few years - at least [Snopes.com](http://Snopes.com) says it is true: [2006 Federal Excise Tax Credit | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/business/taxes/excise.asp) It is not a huge amount of money, but every little bit helps, and just something to remember when filling out your taxes for 2006. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049/2 "2006-12-06T13:33:14Z")
This year’s tax structure also includes: Form 5695-Residential Energy Credits Form 8909-Energy Efficient Appliance Credit Form 8908-Energy Efficient Home Credit Form 8910-Alternative Motor Vehicle Fuel Credit Form 8911-Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit Form 8906-Distilled Spirits Credit Form 8896-Low Sulfur Diesel Production Credit Form 8864-Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Fuels Credit Form 8900-Qualified Railroad Track Maintenance Credit Those are the new credits for this coming tax year. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049/3 "2006-12-06T14:05:17Z")
Snopes is a secondary source, although a good one. For a primary source, read the IRS’s [FAQ on the Telephone Tax Refund](http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=161506,00.html). In brief: Fill out one line on your tax return to claim the refund based on the number of exemptions you claim, no further documentation required! From \: I am not a tax authority, I’m just providing a link to the IRS site, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049/4 "2006-12-06T16:31:23Z")
It also includes VOIP and cell customers. The key factor is taxes paid on long-distance calls, not whether there were wires involved. On a quick read of the IRS page, it looks like you just check a box that says you talked to somebody on the phone last year and you’ll get a $30-60 credit based on the number of exemptions you claim. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049/5 "2006-12-06T22:12:15Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Form 8906-Distilled Spirits Credit [/QUOTE] Damn. This wasn’t what I hoped it might be. Oh well, at least the Feds will partially compensate me for my railroad repair project. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-credit-if-you-have-phone-land-line/383049/6 "2006-12-06T22:14:20Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] Damn. This wasn’t what I hoped it might be. Oh well, at least the Feds will partially compensate me for my railroad repair project. [/QUOTE] Unless you’ve got a distilled spirits railroad/pleasure train. I think we’ve found a niche market, here.