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Level 2
May 22, 2025
Question

How do I enter step up basis for individual return on rental with death of spouse (not community property)

  • May 22, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 16 views

Original basis $48151

Cannot get appraisal on date of death 9/2023, using replacement cost $201387 plus assessed land cost - $55,700 = $257087.

Need to amend 2023 for Step up basis

Do I adjust previous assets to 50% and continue with depreciation with original dates?  Add a new asset with home on date of death as 50%- $100694 and Land 50% - $27850 for 27.5 life years.

On 5/2024, house burned down, received from insurance $524000, sold land $120000 and paid private insurance adjuster $43,000

How to I handle a fire since it now is -0- basis plus insurance costs less private adjuster? Or do I use the basis of assets on tax return?

Use land cost of $27850 as basis and sold for $120000.  This was a separate sale.

This is a non-community property (CT) and individual tax return (1040)

CC 

 

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2 replies

George4Tacks
Level 15
May 25, 2025

@Crandall58 wrote:

Original basis $48151

Cannot get appraisal on date of death 9/2023, using replacement cost $201387 plus assessed land cost - $55,700 = $257087.

Need to amend 2023 for Step up basis

Do I adjust previous assets to 50% and continue with depreciation with original dates?  YES Add a new asset with home on date of death as 50%- $100694 and Land 50% - $27850 for 27.5 life years. YES

On 5/2024, house burned down, received from insurance $524000, sold land $120000 and paid private insurance adjuster $43,000

How to I handle a fire since it now is -0- basis plus insurance costs less private adjuster? ?? this query is not clear to me. Or do I use the basis of assets on tax return? Yes  Consider IRC 1033 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/1033

Use land cost of $27850 as basis and sold for $120000.  This was a separate sale. YES

This is a non-community property (CT) and individual tax return (1040)

CC 

 


 

Answers are easy. Questions are hard!
Skylane
Intuit Community Champion
May 25, 2025

If DOD appraisal not available, you may be able to get local realtor to provide report with comparable sales within a few months of DOD. Use the average sale value . The RE tax bill assigns a value to land and improvement that you can use to determine % to assign for improvement 

 

If at first you don’t succeed…..find a workaround
Level 2
May 27, 2025

Original House back in 8/1974 was fully depreciated cost basis $6,130 as well as other improvements along the years in amount of $51,539.  Step up basis on date of death - 9/25/2023 is $149776.80 (50%). 

Surviving spouse would get total of 50% ($6,130+$51,539) $28834.50 plus $149,776.80 less 50% depreciation taken to continue for remaining years prorated over each asset. 

As well as new asset, house - $149,776.80 for 27.5 years

Question, what happens to remaining assets for rental such as snow blower and other equipment purchased for purpose of the rental?  Does surviving spouse get 50% of original cost plus step up of cost basis and 50% of deceased spouse original cost less 50% depreciation taken for remaining years?

I have been reading so many posts, and it seems everyone has different ways to handle step up of rental assets.

CC

 

 

 

Skylane
Intuit Community Champion
May 31, 2025

Real estate, equities, etc. have a tendency to appreciate over time....  snowblowers don't  ...  you can use the remaining depreciation but that's about it. 

If at first you don’t succeed…..find a workaround