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Stepped-up basis rules can ease the income tax bite of an inheritance
Stepped-up basis rules can ease the income tax bite of an inheritance

With the federal gift and estate tax exemption amount set at $13.99 million for 2025, most people won’t be liable for these taxes. However, capital gains tax on inherited assets may cause an unwelcome tax bite.

The good news is that the stepped-up basis rules can significantly reduce capital gains tax for family members who inherit your assets. Under these rules, when your loved one inherits an asset, the asset’s tax basis is adjusted to the fair market value at the time of your death. If the heir later sells the asset, he or she will owe capital gains tax only on the appreciation after the date of death rather than on the entire gain from when you acquired it.

Primer on capital gains tax

When assets such as securities are sold, any resulting gain generally is a taxable capital gain. The gain is taxed at favorable rates if the assets have been owned for longer than one year. The maximum tax rate on a long-term capital gain is 15% but increases to 20% for certain high-income individuals.

Conversely, a short-term capital gain is taxed at ordinary income tax rates as high as 37%. Gains and losses are accounted for when filing a tax return, so high-taxed gains may be offset wholly or partially by losses.

The amount of a taxable gain is equal to the difference between the basis of the asset and the sale price. For example, if you acquire stock for $10,000 and then sell it for $50,000, your taxable capital gain is $40,000.

These basic rules apply to capital assets owned by an individual and sold during his or her lifetime. However, a different set of rules applies to inherited assets.

How stepped-up basis works

When assets are passed on through inheritance, there’s no income tax liability until the assets are sold. For these purposes, the basis for calculating gain is “stepped up” to the value of the assets on the date of your death. Thus, only the appreciation in value since your death is subject to tax because the individual inherited the assets. The appreciation during your lifetime goes untaxed.

Securities, artwork, bank accounts, business interests, investment accounts, real estate and personal property are among the assets affected by the stepped-up basis rules. However, these rules don’t apply to retirement assets such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

To illustrate the benefits, let’s look at a simplified example. Dan bought XYZ Corp. stock 10 years ago for $100,000. In his will, he leaves all the XYZ stock to his daughter, Alice. When Dan dies, the stock is worth $500,000. Alice’s basis is stepped up to $500,000.

When Alice sells the stock two years later, it’s worth $700,000. She must pay the maximum 20% rate on her long-term capital gain. On these facts, Alice has a $200,000 gain. With the 20% capital gains rate, she owes $40,000. Without the stepped-up basis, her tax on the $600,000 gain would be $120,000.

What happens if an asset declines in value after the deceased acquired it? The adjusted basis of the asset the individual inherits is still the value on the date of death. This could result in a taxable gain on a subsequent sale if the value rebounds after death, or a loss if the asset’s value continues to decline.

Turn to us for help

Without the stepped-up basis rules, your beneficiaries could face much higher capital gains taxes when they sell their inherited assets. If you have questions regarding these rules, please contact us.

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Estate planningDebbie Harry