Expert, localized Los Angeles answers provided by Heather Roy

Ask Heather about: Mortgages, Finance, Taxes or Home Selling?
  

Owned With Parents

  I own a house with my mom and dad; they lived there for seven years. Now they died. How do I establish myself as primary owner in order to avoid capital gains when I sell it?
 
  You need to discuss the whole thing with a lawyer, who can explain exactly where you stand.  Your cost basis for the property will have changed when your parents died, and there may or may not need to be some paperwork at this point.  I don't have enough details to be more specific, but your attorney will straighten it all out.
    Edith
Originally published on August 26, 2008
 
    Back to Summary