Selling your home after the passing of a Spouse can be Tricky

According to IRS Publication 523, when your spouse passes away, you are entitled to utilize their $250,000 capital gains exemption in addition to your own $250,000 one-time exemption for up to 2 years from the date of your spouse’s passing.  However, if you sell more than 2 years after the death of your spouse, you are only entitled to use your own $250,000 one-time exemption on capital gains tax.  If your home equity is likely to exceed $250,000 this could affect you dramatically.

Here’s a good place to start.  The first number you need is how much you paid for your home when you bought it.  The second number you will need is a total of all of the monies you paid for capital improvements on your property (i.e.: pools, new roofs, new furnaces, and other improvements).  Hopefully, you have a file with all of these receipts you have saved over the period you have owned your home.  The last number you will need is an idea of what your home is worth in today’s market and a “net sheet” indicating how much you will likely have in your pocket from a sale.  These last items are ones that we are happy to help with.  If you need to find out the potential market value of your home please fill the request out and we will reply.

Please check with your accountant to verify the current tax regulations.