Selling a home after your spouse dies
Up to $500,000 excluded
Can You Write Off Selling a Home After Your Spouse Dies?
Short answer: A surviving spouse keeps the $500,000 exclusion if the home sells within 2 years of the death, and half the home gets a stepped-up basis.
In community property states the whole home may get a step-up.
Records to keep: Keep receipts, statements (1098, 1098-T, 1099, W-2G), and a note of what each cost was for. Compare itemizing to the 2026 standard deduction before you claim.
Selling a home after your spouse dies
Typical range: Up to $500,000 excluded
Individuals / Personal Taxes
A surviving spouse keeps the $500,000 exclusion if the home sells within 2 years of the death, and half the home gets a stepped-up basis.
Business justification
A surviving spouse keeps the $500,000 exclusion if the home sells within 2 years of the death, and half the home gets a stepped-up basis. In community property states the whole home may get a step-up.
Category
- Personal Tax Deductions