Here are customary closing costs associated with the seller but not limited to:
*Fee: 6% (split with Seller’s and Buyer’s side)
* 60% of the premiums for standard coverage title insurance
* Cost of drafting of conveyance documents and bills of sale
* Cost of obtaining Sellers’ Consents
* 50% of Escrow fee
* Sellers’ notary fees
* Cost of required staking or survey
* Recording fees to clear Seller’s title
* FHA or VA mandatory closing fees
* Conveyance tax
* FIRPTA (Federal withholding tax)
The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 ("FIRPTA") provides that foreign investment in U.S. real property would be subject to U.S. capital gains tax on dispositions of US real property interests. To administer and enforce FIRPTA, the US Congress in 1984 enacted Section 1445 of the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC"). Under the FIRPTA withholding provisions of the IRC Section 1445, the buyer or transferee of any US real property is required to withhold and deduct a tax equal to 10% of the amount realized by the Seller or transferor upon the disposition of property, with certain other requirements.
As with HARPTA, certain exemptions apply.
* HARPTA (Hawaii withholding tax)
In order to promote a greater level of compliance by non-residents of Hawaii (whether US citizens or foreigners) in reporting income from the sales of real property located in Hawaii, Section 235-68, Hawaii Revise Statutes ("HRS"), requires that every Buyer of Hawaii real estate deduct, withhold and pay to the Hawaii Department of Taxation 5% of the amount realized by the Seller or transferor of Hawaii real estate.
This 5% withholding is designed to enforce Hawaii state income taxes on the sale or disposition of Hawaii real estate in the same manner as the enforcement provisions of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 ("FIRPTA"). Similar to FIRPTA enforcement provisions, the state tax withholding requirement would not increase the amount of income tax paid by non-residents since the amount withheld will be claimed as a payment on the Hawaii nonresident incom tax return.
HARPTA applies to the sale of property located in Hawaii by owners who are non-residents of Hawaii, but certain exemptions apply.
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