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Bill

S 5216

Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Angela Alsobrooks and 1 co-sponsor

Provides a nonrefundable tax credit up to $10,000 for Americans 60+ to cover qualified home accessibility improvements to enable aging in place.

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 5216

Overview

  • Bill: S.5216, Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act of 2026
  • Session: 119th Congress
  • Introduced: August 3, 2026 by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks as a co-sponsor
  • Purpose: Create a new nonrefundable individual income tax credit to help seniors and other eligible individuals pay for modifications that improve accessibility and safety in their residences.

Main purpose and intent

  • Establish a refundable? (no, nonrefundable) credit against the individual income tax for qualified accessible housing expenses.
  • Target population: individuals aged 60 and older (and/or couples with at least one spouse aged 60) who are filing federal taxes, and who are not nonresident aliens.
  • Aim: Enable aging in place by financing home accessibility improvements that enhance safety and independence.

Key provisions and changes

  • New tax credit: Section 25G, Senior Accessible Housing Credit
    • Credit amount: Equal to the aggregate amount of qualified accessible housing expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year
    • Maximum credit per taxpayer per year: $10,000
  • Eligible individual (Section 25G(b))
    • Age requirement: At least 60 years old by the end of the tax year
    • Residency status: Not a nonresident alien
    • For joint returns: Credit available if at least one spouse is age 60+, and neither spouse is a nonresident alien
  • Qualified accessible housing expenses (Section 25G(c))
    • Examples of qualifying modifications:
    • Installing wheelchair ramps
    • Widening doorways
    • Installing handrails or grab bars
    • Non-slip flooring
    • Bathtub cuts or shower seats
    • Furniture risers
    • Chair lifts
    • Replacing toilets, bathroom vanities, or kitchen/bathroom faucets
    • Any other modification the Secretary, in consultation with HHS, determines would improve safety and independent living
    • Labor costs: Includes onsite preparation, assembly, or original installation related to the described modifications
    • Qualified residence: A dwelling unit located in the United States that is a “qualified residence” under section 163(h)(5)(A)
  • Interactions with other tax benefits (Section 25G(e))
    • Denial of double benefits: No other credit or deduction may be claimed for expenses that generate the Senior Accessible Housing Credit
    • Basis reduction: The basis of any property financed with this credit must be reduced by the amount of the credit to the extent those expenses were used to determine basis
  • Income-based phase-out (Section 25G(d))
    • The credit is reduced by $1 for every $2 (or fraction) by which modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds a threshold
    • MAGI for this purpose:
    • Thresholds: $200,000 (joint returns or surviving spouse), $150,000 (head of household), $100,000 (all others)
    • MAGI definition: Adjusted gross income plus any excluded amounts under sections 911, 931, or 933
  • Inflation adjustment (Section 25G(f))
    • Dollar amounts (credit cap and thresholds) are adjusted annually after 2027 using the cost-of-living adjustment framework, rounded to the nearest dollar
  • Regulatory authority (Section 25G(g))
    • Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to issue regulations/guidance necessary to implement the credit
  • Effective date
    • Applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2026
  • Clerical amendments
    • Creates new line item in the tax code’s table of sections for 25G

Who would be affected

  • Eligible individual taxpayers aged 60 and older (including those filing jointly with at least one eligible spouse)
  • Households undertaking qualified accessibility modifications in U.S. residences
  • Taxpayers whose MAGI is within the specified thresholds (phasedown of the credit as MAGI increases)
  • Homeowners and potentially renters if they own the residence and incur qualified expenses (the bill references a “qualified residence” defined under existing rules)

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: Introduced in the Senate (Aug. 3, 2026) and referred to the Committee on Finance
  • Effective date: Tax years beginning after December 31, 2026
  • Administrative: Requires Treasury regulations and guidance, in coordination with HHS, to administer definitions and allowable expenses

Practical notes

  • The credit serves as an incentive for aging in place by offsetting costs of home accessibility improvements.
  • The program is capped at $10,000 per eligible taxpayer per year, with an income-based reduction.
  • It is designed to work alongside, but not duplicate, other credits/deductions for the same expenses.
  • Real-world impact will depend on administrative rules, eligibility determinations for what counts as a “qualified residence,” and the Secretary’s implementation guidance.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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