By the late 20th century, owning a home was equated in the popular imagination as an important life goal.* The deductibility of interest was, until 1986, a key feature of the income tax since its inception in 1913 ??? anyone who had to make interest payments on any sort of debt was able to deduct these expenses* ???The bulk of the benefits,??? says Glaeser, ???go to fairly rich people who aren???t