You only have about 60 days left. The 2013 tax credits for energy efficient upgrades to your home will expire on December 31. At this time there has been no word on any pending legislation to extend the existing tax credits or implement any new tax credits.

If you have been thinking about doing any type of upgrades to your home such as windows, doors, insulation or HVAC systems, you may want to act now. Although you should always check with your tax professional, you should be eligible for a $500 tax credit on your 2013 tax return if installing energy-efficient products.

When dealing with any home improvement company for energy-efficient products you should always consider the following:

• Make sure the company is fully licensed and insured.

• If you haven’t heard of the company or know of its good reputation, you should

always check with your local Consumer Affairs Department.

• Make sure the products you are buying qualify for the tax credit by making the

company write those details into your contract.

• Upon completion of the work, make sure you save all product stickers and

information sheets with the copy of your contract.

So if you are just about ready to start that home improvement project, you should consider signing the contract now. Remember that a tax CREDIT is better then a tax deduction. You actually save the entire credit if you qualify, so that’s a full $500 in your pocket.

Steven J. DiMare is chief executive 0fficer of Unified Window Systems (wwww.uwds.com).