Ian Bryzek, CPA
What is the tax basis of an inherited home?
A home's basis file should be built around its value at death, ownership history, and later use.
Short answer
A residential fair-market-value appraisal supports federal income-tax work; California property-tax assessment is a separate system.
The family home can carry decades of changes that never made it into a single household folder.
A residential fair-market-value appraisal supports federal income-tax work; California property-tax assessment is a separate system.
What to gather
- Date-of-death home appraisal
- Recorded deed
- Estate or trust distribution
- Post-death improvement invoices
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.
A practical next step
Keep the appraisal with the deed and distribution paperwork.
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.
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.