Final answer:
Yes, for regular tax purposes, a taxpayer may deduct interest expense on qualifying home equity indebtedness even if the loan proceeds are used for a purpose unrelated to the home.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, for regular tax purposes, a taxpayer may deduct interest expense on qualifying home equity indebtedness even if the loan proceeds are used for a purpose unrelated to the home. This means that if a taxpayer takes out a home equity loan and uses the money for things like paying off credit card debt or financing a car, they can still deduct the interest on that loan from their taxable income.
For example, let's say a taxpayer takes out a home equity loan for $50,000 and uses $30,000 of it to pay off credit card debt and the remaining $20,000 for home renovations. The taxpayer would still be able to deduct the interest on the full $50,000 loan amount, even though only $20,000 of it was used for home-related purposes.