Your spouse and you can delay paying taxes on selling an investment asset by swapping it in exchange for an investment property of another type. This clever investment choice is known as a similar-kind exchange, also known as a 1031 exchange. It permits you to delay paying your tax bill until you have sold your new home.
However, before you swap your investment property you must determine the basis adjusted of the property that you surrender during the exchange. If you are able to determine the basis of the previous property, you will be able to determine the loss on capital, the depreciation along with the value basis of the new property, all of which are tax-deductible things that taxpayers are required to declare on the Internal Revenue Service.
This article will explain what you need to know about the base of your new property making a 1031 exchange.
What Is The Cost Basis In Real Estate
Cost basis can be described as the value your home is worth in the context of taxation. When you sell an item of real estate (for instance the single-family home you live in) profits or losses are determined by taking the sale price , and subtracting that from the cost basis as of the day of the sale. The more your cost basis? The less your eventual profits (aka profit) are, as well as the lower you’ll be liable for tax at tax time.
Simply put, in property, base is the price that a buyer is willing to pay for their home.
It’s a crucial figure to keep in mind because taxpayers who decide to sell their home or investment property have to be liable for capital gains taxes on all profits that go beyond the amount they originally had to pay for the assets. Consider cost basis as an indicator through which you can determine the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will assess the amount a taxpayer has realized by way of gains from the sale of an asset , such as a home condo, apartment or even a condo and, more importantly the percentage of any particular real estate property’s sale it could be hoping to collect tax on.
A quick example is the purchase of the property for $100,000. To acquire that property, you were required have to make a payment of $5,000 as closing costs to the bank as well as an attorney. So your tax basis would be 105,000.
How Do You Calculate Cost Basis In 1031 Exchange?
Exchanges for 1031 allow taxpayers to postpone capital gains. By deferring gain, the basis needs to be calculated. The basic concept of basis is that the property you bought is the price of the property, minus any gains you deferred during the exchange. Here are the steps that clarify how to determine the cost basis for the new property.
Find the basis adjusted for the property you just sold. This includes any mortgages that you used to purchase the property.
Include the worth of other properties that you trade in exchange for and the mortgage on your new property as well as the amount in cash you’re contributing towards the purchase and any gains that are recognized from the sale of the property.
Subtract any property or money you acquired in exchange and your mortgage amount for the property you sold as well as any losses that are recognized for any property that was sold during the exchange.
This will result in the basis for the property you have just purchased as part of the 1031 exchange. Note that the cost of purchase of the new property does not have any bearing on making the decision on the price basis.
Before we explain how to determine the base of your brand new home in the 1031 exchange It is crucial that you know how to recognize the basis of your adjusted property as a tax-payer.
To determine a rental property’s adjusted basis, you need to determine the original price. This is the purchase price if you purchased the property or the construction cost when you constructed it. In the event that you inherit the property, its base is the fair market value as of the day you purchased it. This is also known by the term step-up.
Let’s look at one scenario.
Imagine you buy a home for $400,000. The closing costs, and you make major improvement to your property that cost $13,000. Your modified basis will be $424,000.
However, you are now looking to sell the house. Selling costs are also added to the value of your property like advertising costs and commissions. Your total cost of sale is $9,000. This puts your basis adjusted at $433,000.
Certain elements can lower that value, but. The property was depreciated over years you held it for eight years. Each year that you owned this property was depreciated by 10. Thus, the total depreciation was $80,000. The total of $80,000 brings the basis adjusted down to $353,000. Also, you should include any modifications or additions that have diminished in value.
Then, you decide to are able to sell the property at $500,000. You’ll have gains in the amount of 147,000 (after subtracting the basis adjusted to $353,000 of $500,000).
A Simple Example Of Calculating The Basis For 1031 Exchange
Let’s take an example. For instance, suppose you make a 1031 exchange through the sale of a property at $300,000. There is a loan of $150,000 for this property as of sale and your cost basis adjusted for this property would be $170,000. The exchange is completed by buying a property worth $500,000 with an amount of $250,000 in mortgage.
In this scenario you determine your basis by taking the initial base of the property’s adjusted ($170,000) and adding the current mortgage ($250,000) then subtracting the outstanding mortgage on the property ($150,000). This will give you a new tax basis of $270,000.
Conclusion
Fortunately, you don’t have to learn these calculations. Since you’re likely to work with an intermediary who is qualified (QI) who is knowledgeable about the process. If not have a tax professional, they can be of assistance.
To find out more on 1031 Exchanges as well as Delaware Statutory Trusts and DST Fees and Commissions Make a Call Now.
