I have a question about how to calculate capital gain. My siblings and I inherited our mother’s home. I bought the house from the other siblings and later sold it. What is my basis of inherited property — How do I report this transaction?
If you need to know how to calculate capital gain, take these steps:
- Determine the basis. For basis of inherited property, the basis is the fair market value (FMV) of the home on the date of death. However, since you bought the house from your siblings, you’ll follow this process to find the basis:
- Start with the purchase price.
- Add the FMV of your inherited share.
- Subtract any buyer’s settlement expenses.
- Determine the amount realized on the sale. The amount realized is the sales price minus settlement charges the sellers pay.
- Find the gain or loss. Subtract your basis from the amount realized. If you have a positive number, there’s a gain. If you have a negative number, there’s a loss.
Report capital gains and losses on Form 8949. If you used the home for your personal use only or sold it to someone related to you, you can’t claim a capital loss. However, you should still report the sale on Form 8949.
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The first step in how to calculate long-term capital gains tax is generally to find the difference between what you paid for your property and how much you sold it for —adjusting for commissions or fees. Depending on your income level, your capital gain will be taxed federally at either 0%, 15% or 20%.
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