I understand that I need to have lived in my main home for more than 750 days out of the previous 5 years in order to qualify for the $500K capital gains exception allowable for a married couple. I also get it that I need proof that it is my main home by having the address on my drivers license/car registration, voter registration, official USPS address, etc. But how do I prove to the IRS how many days I actually lived in the home? What is the evidence they will accept to show that I was there for say, 751 days during the previous five years? Do they take my word for it? Would a personal calendar be adequate proof? The IRS site says nothing about how they check out the claim that you lived at a particular address for a certain amount of time. Can you help?
never had the IRS question this but if they did they would look at the following items (not all inclusive)
place of employment
address listed on your federal and state returns, driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration
location of your banks, religious organizations and recreation clubs with which you are affiliated
financial records
utility bills
testimony of neighbors
also vacation or other short absence counts as time you lived at home
you are committing perjury if you lie.
i have never heard of a person keeping a log probably because its self-serving