RentCertificate: RentCertificate (2024)
Wisconsin · Wisconsin DOR · Used for tax years 2024
The 2024 Wisconsin Rent Certificate documents rent paid for a Wisconsin rental property to support a homestead credit claim. It reports your share of rent, the value of food and services provided by the landlord, and whether heat was included in rent.
Who files this form
This rent certificate is for renters claiming Wisconsin homestead credit for 2024. The rental property must be in Wisconsin.
Only attach the certificate if you are filing a homestead credit claim. Schedule H or H-EZ must be completed and filed with it.
What you'll need
- A completed 2024 rent certificate and Schedule H or H-EZ.
- Your rental property address, dates you lived there in 2024, and Social Security number. Enter your Social Security number only after the landlord completes and signs the certificate.
- Rent payment information and the landlord or authorized representative's information.
- If your landlord will not sign, copies of each canceled check or bank money order you have to verify your rent.
- If line 5b is “No,” the completed Shared Living Expenses Schedule, including the other occupants' names and the total shared expenses paid by everyone and by you.
How to file
- Fill in the Renter (Claimant) section, except your Social Security number. Give the certificate to your landlord to complete and sign.
- The landlord or authorized representative must sign by hand, date the certificate, print their name, and return it to you. Only an original signature is acceptable.
- After it is returned, enter your Social Security number and complete line 5b if applicable. If line 5b is “No,” complete the Shared Living Expenses Schedule.
- Transfer the allowable amounts from lines 3c and 8a, or line 7 of the Shared Living Expenses Schedule when applicable, to Schedule H or H-EZ as appropriate.
- Attach the rent certificate to your completed Schedule H or H-EZ.
If your landlord will not sign, check the designated box, complete the landlord section and lines 1 through 8, and attach rent verification. Do not sign the certificate yourself.
Common mistakes
- Making corrections on the certificate: Alterations, including whiteouts and erasures, or errors void the certificate.
- Signing as the renter: A certificate signed by you or anyone other than the landlord or authorized representative will not be accepted.
- Counting the wrong occupants: On line 5a, do not count your spouse or children under age 18 as of December 31, 2024.
- Including excluded payments in rent: Do not include prior-year rent, late fees, security deposits, Wisconsin rental assistance program payments, or payments received directly from a government agency, except amounts paid as the claimant's representative payee.
- Leaving shared-expense lines blank: If the Shared Living Expenses Schedule is required, fill in every line. Otherwise, paid rent will be divided by the number of occupants.
- Completing an ineligible property certificate: If line 2a is “No,” the landlord must not complete the certificate unless line 2b applies.
Questions people ask
What if my landlord refuses to sign?
Check the designated box, complete the landlord section and lines 1 through 8, and attach copies of canceled checks or bank money orders to verify rent. Any unverified portion will not be allowed. Do not sign the certificate yourself.
When do I need the Shared Living Expenses Schedule?
Complete it if line 5b is “No,” meaning the occupants did not each pay an equal share of living expenses. Every line must be filled in.
Does rent include separate charges for parking or utilities?
The landlord must include separate amounts you paid to them for parking, a garage, utilities, appliances, or furnishings in line 4a.
How are food and services provided by the landlord handled?
The landlord enters your share of their value on line 7. Subtract line 7 from line 6 to calculate rent paid for occupancy only on line 8a.