Each year, countless New Year’s resolutions are made—and broken. Maybe we’d do better if they came with financial motivation? This year, the Alliance to Save Energy is encouraging homeowners to check their home’s physical fitness and, depending on the results, put it on an “energy diet,” which could result in a dollar for dollar reduction in your income taxes owed.

Here’s how it works, first figure out what needs to be done. The Hawaiian Electric Co. has a number of Energy Efficiency Programs that can help. Next, get details on qualifying products. Once you incorporate those products into your home’s “diet,” you could qualify for a 30 percent tax credit of up to $1,500 for the remainder of ’09 and throughout ’10 for specific energy-efficiency home improvements.
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