Query re selling parents’ house

Hi,
So we are in the process of selling my parents’ house. They passed away over the past few years.

We got it valued as part of the estate. It has now gone sale agreed for approx 30% higher then this valuation.

We have been told by the solicitor looking after the will that we will now have to pay tax on this 30% change in value. The sale price is way below our thresholds for inheritance tax.

Does this sound right?

Thanks

Sounds like CGT.
Revenue guidance

Sounds very right. You inherited a house that was worth X. You then held onto that house for a period and sold it when it was worth Y. This is a capital gain and is taxed as such.

Have you already inherited the house ?

If so, then you are liable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the gain between the value of the house when you inherited.
In not, then your parent's estate is liable for CGT on the gain since the the valuation date on death

In any case, CGT will be due

Was it any of your PPRs in the interim, or did you spend any money on enhancements? That might reduce the overall tax bill.



But I guess you need to view it now as you inherited a house that was 100k, now you sell it for 130k, and you pay 33% tax on the 30k. If you had sold it on inheritance, you would still have made less than selling it now, even net of tax. On top of any income you may have made from it in the meantime eg renting it out, or saved on rent or mortgage by living in it yourselves.

Chef said:

They passed away over the past few years.

Click to expand...

So the 30% probably reflects the real rise.

Some people in an effort to avoid CAT get valuation of the house on the low side. But as they are probably not in the CAT net anyway, they don't save anything.

Then when they go to sell it a few years later, they realise that this has cost them money in CGT.

Brendan