Hi,

I am new here, but have a question about a small house I inherited from my father this past April. The house was in very bad condition, so we opted to renovate it and have been doing so from May 2009 until now. No one has lived in the house since my father passed. There was a small mortgage on the house, which I have been paying. The mortgage company was advised of my father's passing and now the payment statement comes to me (still in my fathers name in c/o me at my address).

Also our attorney stated that the deed to the house would pass to me automatically since the house has gone through probate and I was the only heir (we are in NC). His estate is now final. He did not require a federal tax return (according to the attorney) since he only earned $6800 in social security last year with no other income (estate return).

My question is can I deduct the mortgage interest I paid from May through December on that house? The tax form came to my house, but still has my father's name and ss# on it.

Thanks for your time.