Your lender must send you a 1098 by January 31 each year if you paid $600 or more in mortgage interest during that tax year

The Form 1098 arrives in the mail or email from your mortgage servicer — the company that collects your monthly payments. You do not request it; the lender is required by law to send it to you and to the IRS. If you paid less than $600 in interest that year, your lender may not send a 1098, though some do anyway.

The form shows how much interest and property tax you paid in the previous calendar year. You use these numbers if you itemize deductions on your tax return instead of taking the standard deduction. The 1098 arrives between early January and January 31.

Key Takeaways

  • Your mortgage servicer sends the 1098 automatically to your address on file; you do not need to request it unless you have not received it by early February.
  • The form arrives by January 31 and shows mortgage interest and property tax paid during the previous calendar year.
  • If you have not received your 1098 by mid-February, contact your servicer directly by phone or through your online account portal to request a copy.
  • The 1098 is mailed to the address your servicer has on record, so update your address if you moved during the tax year.
  • You need the 1098 only if you itemize deductions; if you take the standard deduction, you do not use the form on your tax return.

What to do if your 1098 does not arrive by mid-February

Contact your mortgage servicer directly. Call the customer service number on your monthly statement or log into your online account and look for a "Documents" or "Tax Forms" section. Many servicers let you read your 1098 from the portal before the physical copy arrives.

When you call, have your loan number and the address where you expect the form to be mailed. Ask the servicer to confirm the address on file matches where you currently live. If you moved during the tax year and did not update your address, the form may have gone to your old house.

If the servicer says they sent it and you still have not received it after two weeks, ask them to email you a copy or mail a replacement. Keep a record of the date you called and the name of the person who helped you.

Corrected 1098 forms (Form 1098-C)

If your servicer made an error on your 1098 — wrong interest amount, wrong property tax, or wrong loan number — they will send you a corrected 1098, usually marked as "CORRECTED" at the top. This replaces the original form. You use only the corrected version when you file your taxes.

Corrected forms can arrive as late as March or April. If you filed your return before receiving a corrected 1098 and the numbers are different, you may need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X. Your tax software or preparer can tell you whether the difference matters for your situation.

What information appears on the 1098

The 1098 lists several boxes of information. Box 1 shows the mortgage interest you paid that year. Box 2 shows property tax you paid (if your servicer collected it through escrow). Other boxes may show points paid, mortgage insurance premiums, or other details depending on your loan.

The form also shows your loan number, the address of the property, and the servicer's name and address. Check that the property address and loan number match your records. If they do not, contact the servicer to correct them before you file your taxes.

Using the 1098 on your tax return

You use the 1098 only if you itemize deductions on Schedule A of your tax return. Itemizing means you add up your mortgage interest, property tax, charitable donations, and other deductible expenses instead of taking the standard deduction. If your total itemized deductions are less than the standard deduction for your filing status, you do not benefit from the 1098.

Your tax software will ask whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. If you itemize, you enter the mortgage interest from Box 1 of your 1098 into the appropriate line on Schedule A. Property tax from Box 2 goes on a different line. Keep your 1098 with your tax records for at least three years in case the IRS asks questions about your return.

If you paid off your mortgage or refinanced

If you paid off your mortgage during the year, your servicer will still send a 1098 showing the interest you paid before the payoff date. The form covers only the months you had the loan.

If you refinanced, you will receive a 1098 from your old servicer for the months you had that loan, and a separate 1098 from your new servicer for the months after refinancing. Both forms are correct; together they show all the interest you paid that year. Enter the interest from both forms on your tax return if you itemize.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the 1098 to file my taxes?

Not necessarily. You need it only if you itemize deductions. If you take the standard deduction, you do not use the 1098 on your return. Your tax software will tell you which option saves you more money.

What if I paid my mortgage through an escrow account but the servicer did not send a 1098?

If you paid less than $600 in mortgage interest that year, the servicer may not be required to send a 1098. You can still deduct the interest and property tax you paid if you itemize, but you will need to gather the numbers from your loan statements or escrow account statements instead.

Can I get a 1098 from a previous year?

Yes. Contact your servicer and ask for a copy of the 1098 from the year you need. They can usually email or mail it to you. If you no longer have a relationship with that servicer, you may need to provide your loan number or other identifying information to retrieve the form.

What if the 1098 shows a different address than where the property is located?

Contact your servicer to correct it. The address on the 1098 should match the property address. If it does not, the servicer may have made a data entry error. Ask them to send you a corrected form before you file your taxes.

Do I need to attach the 1098 to my tax return?

No. You keep the 1098 with your records but do not send it to the IRS. The IRS receives a copy directly from your servicer. You enter the numbers from the 1098 into the appropriate lines on your return.