TSAHC Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)
Taking applicationsTSAHC
- Meant for
- First-time buyers using TSAHC loans (Heroes or Home Sweet Texas)
- How much
- Federal income tax credit equal to 15% of annual mortgage interest paid
- Kind of help
- Federal tax credit
- First-timers only?
- Yes
- Pairs with the state program?
- yes - pairs with Heroes DPA; MCC fee waived ($400 savings) when a Texas Hero uses TSAHC DPA + MCC together
Standalone MCC availability not confirmed this session.
Fact-checked November 2026 · our sources
Could I get this? →What the certificate is worth
An MCC is not cash at closing. It is a credit on your federal income tax return equal to 15% of the interest you pay on the mortgage each year. As a round illustration only: a buyer who pays $12,000 in interest in a year would see a $1,800 credit. A credit reduces the tax owed dollar for dollar, which is different from the regular mortgage interest deduction. TSAHC relaunched the certificate in April 2024 at the 15% rate.
Who qualifies for the MCC?
It is for first-time buyers, meaning no ownership interest in a primary residence during the past 3 years. That rule is waived for purchases in targeted areas and for qualified veterans. The income ceiling is 115% of area median family income, lower than the Heroes limit, so a buyer can qualify for Heroes assistance but miss the MCC. Purchase price limits apply when an MCC is used; TSAHC's current figures were not published on the pages we reviewed, so your lender confirms them. The home must be your primary residence.
Pairing it with Heroes or Home Sweet Texas
The certificate is designed to ride alongside a TSAHC loan. When a Texas Hero takes TSAHC down payment assistance and the MCC together, TSAHC waives the MCC fee, a $400 savings. TSAHC has suspended its standalone MCC, so for now it comes with TSAHC assistance or the option without assistance, subject to bond funding. TDHCA has its own, separate certificate tied to TDHCA loans, so the two are not stacked. Teachers and first responders can review the job rules under who qualifies.
Keep in mind two limits. How much of the credit you can use depends on your own tax situation, so ask a tax professional how it applies to your return. And because the MCC carries its own lower income ceiling and price caps, check those numbers at the start, not after you choose a home. A buyer who earns more than 115% of AMFI can still take Heroes or Home Sweet Texas assistance, just without the certificate. Repeat buyers do not qualify unless they buy in a targeted area or are qualified veterans.
How to get one
Ask your TSAHC participating lender to add the MCC when you choose your assistance option; it is set up as part of the loan, not after closing. Then claim the credit each year on your federal return, ideally with a tax preparer. Buyers in Bexar County, Harris County and every other Texas county use the same process. Start with a quick eligibility check, and see the first-time buyer steps for where it fits in the timeline.
Reader questions on TSAHC Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)
How much is the TSAHC MCC worth?
A federal tax credit equal to 15% of the mortgage interest you pay each year, claimed on your tax return.
Can I get the TSAHC MCC without TSAHC down payment assistance?
TSAHC's standalone MCC is suspended. It is currently available with TSAHC assistance or the no-assistance option, subject to bond funding.
Does the MCC cost anything?
TSAHC waives the MCC fee, a $400 savings, when a Texas Hero uses TSAHC down payment assistance and the MCC together.
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Summed up from the program's official page as of November 2026. Money and rules change; check current terms with the program or a lender that takes part. Texas Down Payment Assistance has no tie to this program.
