home sale

[stub1961]

When I sell my home of 47 years.   Will I have to [ay taxes on this sale?

[TeriH]

Great question!

As long as you owned and lived in the home for two of the five years before the sale, up to $250,000 of profit is tax-free. And if you’re married and file a joint return, that amount doubles to $500,000. If your profit from the sale is more than that, the excess is reported as a capital gain. 

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

If you sold your primary personal residence and you lived in and owned the home for at least two years in the five year period on the date of sale, you do not have to report the sale if your gains are less then the exclusion amounts of $250,000 if filing Single or $500,000 if filing Married Filing Jointly (and both lived in the home for two years).

Gain or Loss = Sales Price minus Sales Expenses minus Adjusted Basis (Purchase Price plus the cost of improvements prior to the sale)

If you had a gain greater then the exclusion amounts then you would have to report the sale. Also, if you received a Form 1099-S for the sale either with a gain or a loss, the sale has to be reported.