$8,000 First time home buyer credit On February 25th, The Internal Revenue Service announced that taxpayers who qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit and purchase a home this year before Dec. 1 have a special option available for claiming the tax credit either on their 2008 tax returns due April 15 or on their 2009 tax returns next year. Qualifying taxpayers who buy a home this year before Dec. 1 can get up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married filing separately. "For first-time homebuyers this year, this special feature can put money in their pockets right now rather than waiting (1 comments)