WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Peter Welch (D-VT) are introducing legislation to help prevent dangerous and costly falls. The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act would establish a refundable tax credit for eligible home modifications designed to improve accessibility — saving both Americans with the highest risk of falling, as well as taxpayers, from the high medical costs associated with falls.

“I often say, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and the cheapest way to treat a broken hip is to prevent it from happening in the first place,” said Senator King. “The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act is important legislation that would ease the financial burden of accessibility-focused home improvement projects — such as modifying doorways or installing grab bars. This is a commonsense step forward to help save Maine people from the physical danger and financial costs that can result from all-too-common falls.”

“Accessible living spaces can make a big difference when it comes to preventing falls — but making structural changes to a home doesn’t come cheap. We need to do more to meet the needs of aging Vermonters, including helping folks pay for lifesaving home modifications that keep them safe,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Senator King on this legislation to ensure New Englanders can live safely in their homes.” 

The tax credit would be equal to 35% of the cost of the qualified home modification, with a cap of $10,000 per taxable year and $30,000 in lifetime limit across all taxable years. The tax credit is targeted toward middle income families and will become phased out in generosity above $400,000 for joint filers and $200,000 for single filers or heads of households.

Eligible home modifications would include zero-step entrances, ramps, widened doors and hallways, modified counters, bathroom accessibility improvements, and the installation, replacement, or modification of appliances to make them more accessible to individuals with a vision impairment. The list of approved modifications could be updated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Health and Human Services (HHS).

Three groups would be eligible to receive the tax credit:

• Individuals 60 and older; 
• Individuals under retirement age but entitled to social security disability insurance (SSDI), supplemental security income (SSI) or veterans disability compensation; or
• Individuals at any age with a disability certification.

As an extension of his longtime focus on prevention efforts, Senator King has been leading the charge in the “Stand Strong” space. He previously introduced a legislative package to encourage proactive home modifications and to increase access to preventative screenings for older Americans to keep them thriving while avoiding costly injuries. The package included the reintroduction of the Preventative Home Visits Act and the WELL Seniors Act to expand Medicare benefits to cover home modifications, ensure the accessibility of telehealth services and include comprehensive screenings during Medicare Annual Wellness Visits. 

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