Ian Bryzek, CPA
How is basis handled for property transferred before death?
A pre-death transfer can change the analysis, so the family description of “inheritance” must be checked against the documents.
Parents sometimes transfer a house or percentage to a child years before death for family or planning reasons.
Whether and how property was transferred is a legal and tax-record question that needs the full chronology.
What to gather
- All recorded deeds
- Gift or transfer correspondence
- Prior appraisals
- Estate plan documents
- Gift tax filings if available
Who usually handles what
- Ian can organize the tax reporting question and the supporting records.
- James Valdez can provide an independent residential fair-market-value appraisal.
- An estate attorney handles title, authority, trust terms, and beneficiary rights.
A practical next step
Give Ian and an attorney the complete transfer timeline before a sale is reported.
When a property value is part of the picture
When residential real estate needs a supported fair market value as of a relevant date, an independent appraiser may be part of the documentation process. Ian does not determine fair market value.
Questions about title, probate authority, trust meaning, or a beneficiary's legal rights belong with an estate attorney. Start with the Professionals directory: /professionals/
Related guides
This is general tax information, not tax or legal advice. Outcomes depend on the documents, ownership, timing, and law that apply to the particular facts.