Tax on sale of primary residence owned longer than 2 years

[ksselltine345]

My parents sold their primary residence and had a taxable gain of 1,000,000 on the sale (that's after the 500,000 exclusion). Their annual income before the gain is 82000 which I thought put them in the 15% bracket for long term capital gains (owing $150,000) but Turbo Tax calculates that they owe 20% ($200,000). Please explain why they are being taxed at 20% and not 15%.

[Anonymous_ · Accepted solution]

Despite the fact that your parents' income before the gain is $82,000, their gain on the sale of the residence ($1 million) is added to that $82,000 to arrive at their AGI (adjusted gross income). As a result, that increases their capital gains tax rate (i.e., the capital gain counts toward their AGI for tax purposes).

[Mike9241]

in your tax return, there will be a form/worksheet where the tax is calculated  - something like the qualifified dividend and long-term capital gain worksheet