Announcement
Central Illinois home-services company Edelman Inc. promoted a 2023 guide to the financial considerations of residential solar panels. The guide discussed electricity-bill savings, the then-available federal Residential Clean Energy Credit, Illinois incentives, and the difference between buying and leasing a system. Edelman's current business continues to list solar among its services, while the federal rules have changed since that article appeared.
The Internal Revenue Service now says the 30 percent residential credit applied to eligible property placed in service from 2022 through December 31, 2025, and is not available for property placed in service after that date. A homeowner should therefore not use an older marketing article to assume a 2026 installation qualifies. State programs, utility terms, and rules for a lease or power-purchase agreement are separate questions. Tax treatment depends on the exact property, installation date, ownership, and taxpayer circumstances.
A sound comparison starts with a written installed price, expected output, roof condition, maintenance responsibilities, financing charges, and the household's actual electricity rates. Ask who receives any incentives, how assumptions about future power prices were made, and what happens if the home is sold. An installer can explain its equipment and proposal, but tax eligibility should be checked against current IRS and state guidance with a qualified tax professional. The 2023 release is a record of a past guide, not current tax advice.