Deductions & credits

Yes, your taxable gain would be your net sales proceeds less your adjusted cost basis in your home. (Please note you will not need to report your home sale if you are claiming a home gain exclusion (see below)).

Related to basis in your home -

The adjusted basis of property is usually the original cost of the property adjusted for various items after you acquired it. 

Adjusted basis includes: 

• original cost, including sales tax, purchase expenses, commissions, etc. (from original closing statement, if available)
• permanent home improvements
• nondeductible assessments for improvements (sidewalks, utilities, etc.)
• depreciation claimed or allowable (if you had an office in your home or rented the home)
• casualty and theft losses deducted 

For more details, including a more complete list of additions and deductions to your basis, see IRS Publication 523, Selling Your Home.

You are allowed to deduct from the sales price almost any type of selling expenses, provided that they don’t physically affect the property. Such expenses may include:

• advertising
• appraisal fees
• attorney fees
• closing fees
• document preparation fees
• escrow fees
• mortgage satisfaction fees
• notary fees
• points paid by seller to obtain financing for buyer
• real estate broker's commission
• recording fees (if paid by the seller)
• costs of removing title clouds
• settlement fees
• title search fees, and
• transfer or stamp taxes charged by city, county, or state governments

Just remember that you do not need to enter the sale of your primary residence if:

• You never used your primary residence as a rental or took a home office expense
• You have a loss on the sale of your home (Personal capital losses are not reported on your tax return)
• You did not receive a Form 1099-S and
• You meet the home gain exclusion (see below)

You can take the gain exclusion as long as you considered the home your "primary residence" for 2 of the last 5 years. If you have a capital gain from the sale of your main home, you may qualify to exclude up to $250,000 of that gain from your income. You may qualify to exclude up to $500,000 of that gain if you file a joint return with your spouse. See  Sale of Your Home for more information on the exclusion.

If you still need to enter your sale of your primary residence (which may require an upgrade in TurboTax), please follow these steps:

1. Once you are in your tax return (for TurboTax Online sign-in, click Here), click on the “Federal Taxes” tab ("Personal" tab in TurboTax Home & Business)
2. Next click on “Wages & Income” ("Personal Income" in TurboTax Home & Business)
3. Next click on “I’ll choose what I work on”
4. Scroll down the screen until to come to the section “Less Common Income”
5. Choose “Sale of Home (gain or loss)” and select “start’
6. You will want to use the "Easy Guide" to determine the adjusted basis on this home 

Say "yes" that you sold your main home and TurboTax will guide you on entering this information.  You will need:

• The date you sold your home and the selling price (from your closing statement)
• The date you bought your home and the purchase price (from your closing statement)
• The cost of any major improvements you made, so we can deduct them for you
• Form 1099-C if you sold your home at a loss (short sale)

Just remember to check the box to have your home sale reported on your tax return but ONLY if you receive a 1099-S