Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help!
 

Free Answers in 3 Easy Steps

Register Now
3 Steps
 


Ask QuestionsprogressAnswer QuestionsprogressBuild ReputationprogressBecome an Expert
 
At Ask Me Help Desk you can ask questions in any topic and have them answered for free by our experts. To ask questions or participate in answering them you must register for a free account. By registering you will be able to:
  • Get free answers from experts in any of our 300+ topics.
  • Accept money for answers that you provide.
  • Communicate privately with other members (PM).
  • See fewer ads.
  Answer this Question    Ask about Taxes    Ask about another Subject  
 

lyasko25
Sep 15, 2007, 06:53 AM
I was willed a piece of property at the age of 7 when my father died. My mom oversaw the property untill I became 18 and then the deed was put in my name. I am now 28 and have found a buyer for the property. My uncle ownes half of the property. Him and my father bought it together. We have decided to split the price right down the middle. We are doing a private sale so no real estate agents are involved. How would we go about spliting the taxes that are owed and would the amount be diffrent because we started owning the property at diffrent times.

ebaines
Sep 15, 2007, 09:26 AM
You split the proceeds equally, but you will likely owe different amounts of capital gains taxes. This is because your basis is most likely different than your uncle's - when you inherited the property at age 7 you inherited it at its market value at that time. If you can find out what that value was, you will then know the basis for your half.

Here's an example to show you what I mean:

Suppose your father and uncle origianlly bought the property for $10K total, splitting the cost equally - their original basis is therefore $5K each.

Some years later your father dies and you inherit his half. Now if at that time the market value of the property had risen to, say, $15K, then the basis for your half is $7,500. This is because the basis for inherited property is "stepped up" to the current market value at the time of his death (or in certain circumstances 6 months after his death).

Now you and your uncle sell the property for $20K, netting you each $10K. You will owe capital gains taxes on $10K - 7.5K = $2.5K, and your uncle will owe capital gains on $10K-$5K = $5K.

So the key is knowing what the market value of the property was at the time you inherited it. I would hope your mother or uncle can tell you what that was. If your father's estate went through probate, there ought to be records around. Or perhaps the executor of his estate would have the records.

AtlantaTaxExpert
Sep 15, 2007, 02:06 PM
Ebaines explanation is very good. I have nothing to add.