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Do Senior Citizens pay Capital Gains Tax When Selling Their Homes in IA?

March 27, 2019 • Thomas

As senior citizens get older and find themselves in situations where they have to sell their house, there can be many details involved. First of all, how do you know the right time? When should seniors sell their homes? It is just when they need to pay for medical expenses or to cover the costs of senior living facilities? Do you need to sell parents house to help them out? What about some of the costs, like the capital gains tax when selling homes? Will they still be required to pay that? The good thing is that there is not always a large capital gains tax when selling homes whether it is put up for sale by owner or if you choose to sell parents house for them. The capital gains tax when selling homes is contingent on certain factors.

What is the capital gains tax when selling homes?

power of attorney and capital gains tax when selling homes

Anyone who sells any capital asset needs to understand the taxes involved. It’s not just about houses though. According to the IRS, nearly anything you own is a capital asset, even if you didn’t purchase it as an investment technically. Basically, if you sell something for more than you paid for it, you made a gain and you should report that profit on your taxes. The good thing is, as far as capital gains tax when selling homes is concerned, most of the time they are exempt. Your home is likely your single biggest asset. Certain factors exempt your home from paying capital gains tax when selling homes including:

  • If you owned the home for at least 2 years out of the 5 years before the sale was made
  • If the home was your primary residence for at least 2 years in the same 5-year period
  • If you haven’t excluded the gains from another home you sold in the two years before you sold this home

In most cases, you can exclude $250,000 of any gain if you are single or $500,000 if you are married.

When should seniors sell their homes?

Since residency can affect the capital gains tax when selling homes, when should seniors sell their homes? Remember you have to live in the home 2 years before you sell it to avoid the tax. However, for those seniors who have moved from their house to a nursing home, the ownership and residency is lowered to one out of five years. And if they still own the home, but are in a nursing facility, it still counts as ownership.

Do I need a Power of Attorney to sell property belonging to my parents?

what are capital gains tax when selling homes

When addressing exactly when should seniors sell their homes, you will likely discuss the possibility of you needing to sell parents house. The next question would be what legal right do you have to sell someone else’s property and do you need a power of attorney to sell property that is not technically yours? The easy answer is yes. In most cases, you will need to have power of attorney to sell property belonging to your parents. Be sure you are granted the right POA to handle this type of transaction on their behalf. There are several different types and only certain one permit you to handle financial matters for others. You will need a durable power of attorney to sell property on their behalf if they can no longer handle their own finances.

How do I get started to sell parent’s house?

Once you have become aware that it is time to sell parents house, you may have a lot of questions about how to get started. You may consider talking to a real estate agent or putting it on the market yourself. The decision to sell is the first step, then it’s all about the how. You have options other than going through a real estate broker. You can put it up for sale by owner if you want to handle the transaction. Or you can consider selling your parents house for cash.

Can I advertise my parent’s house as for sale by owner?

One of the options you have available if you don’t want to sell the house fast is to advertise it for sale by owner. First, make sure you have all the paperwork in place and that you can legally handle the transaction. However, it can be a difficult endeavor to try to sell a house yourself. You will be responsible for everything from advertising, to scanning potential buyers, to completing all the paperwork. Selling your parents house for cash is hard any way you choose but having to do it all yourself can be a burden and can be time-consuming and expensive in the long run.

Is there a way I can sell a house fast?

sell capital gains tax when selling homes

If you need to sell house fast, there is a way to do that. A real estate investor buys property that can be resold for a profit. They will look at your parent’s house and make an offer. They will pay you cash for it and then complete all the paperwork. It is the best way to sell a house fast and without any hassles. There is also no waiting for closing or for a potential buyer to qualify for a loan. They make you an offer and if you accept it, they pay you in cash and it’s over.

Getting the House Ready if you are Selling Your Parents House for Cash

Perhaps one of the best things when selling your parents house for cash is that you do not have to do a single thing to make it ready for the sale. Any other type of home sale and you will have to make repairs and do all kinds of work to get it ready to show, and then to sell. But when you are selling your parents house for cash, you literally do not need to do a thing. It is an as-is purchase. This means the investor will take it as it is. It’s the fastest way to sell a house and the least amount of hassle.

At DM Homebuyers we specialize in a quick sale so that you can get on with the more important things in life. Don’t stress out about selling your parents’ house. In the event you need to sell your parents’ house before death, give us a call at 515-953-3535. We would love to answer any questions about the house selling process that you might have.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: selling parents house

Need to Sell Your Elderly Parents Home in Des Moines, IA?

March 20, 2019 • Thomas

It’s come time to prepare to sell your elderly parents home. Everyone typically puts it off as long as possible, but as parents age, the cost of caring for them rises and in most cases, it’s inevitable that you’ll have to face selling your parents house. Caregiving takes its toll financially as well as physically and emotionally. Some medical expenses are covered by Medicare, Medicaid or insurance, but there is always something popping up unexpectedly. Sometimes it’s those midnight runs to the ER or urgent care than take a toll physically and prohibit you from working the hours you need to just to make ends meet.

For many, the toll of caregiving only leaves them the option of selling. As much as you probably hate to face it, you’ll likely need to sell your elderly parents home. It’s important to know how to get a house ready to sell, and how to handle the sell. You may have several questions like Do I know how to sell my parents house?  Can I put it up for sale by owner?  Or How do I sell my parents house before death?  There are plenty of questions and plenty of answers when you are in the position to sell your elderly parents home.

Can I sell my parents house before death?

need to sell your elderly parents home fast

One question that comes up a lot is, “Can I sell my parents house before death?” And the answer is yes. You can, and may need to, look at selling your parents house before they are deceased. You may need that money to help pay for their care in one way or another. You will need their consent or be named their power of attorney with specific stipulations for handling decisions pertaining to property and finances. Read this paperwork carefully and discuss it with a legal professional as there are different types of PAOs that allow for a third party to handle different types of decisions.

How can I put up the house for sale by owner?

If you want to look into the option of advertising the property for sale by owner, you will need to be the “owner.” This method may get the house sold, but it can be a long, drawn-out process for you as well as for your parents. Selling the house yourself rather than going through a real estate agency can save you some money, but then you’ve got to deal with the responsibility of handling all the marketing, finding a buyer and making sure they can handle it financially. You’ll also need to handle all the paperwork and closing costs in order make the sale.

Tips for Selling Your Parents House

tips for when you need to sell your elderly parents home

Selling your parents house can be a huge undertaking. Selling any house can be difficult, but it can be emotional and challenging when you are trying to sell your elderly parents home. Here are a few tips for those asking about how to sell my parents house.

  • What financial obligations are still outstanding?
  • Are the utilities on and are they in your parent’s name?
  • Do your parents have a will? Have they spoken with an estate planning attorney?
  • Who has power of attorney and authority for selling your parents house?

How to Sell Your Elderly Parents Home

You may still be asking Am I sure I know how to sell my parents house?  Having to sell your elderly parents home is not an easy decision and it’s not easy to prepare it to put on the market either.  When they go into assisted living or a nursing care environment, you may have to deal with a lot of stuff they cannot take with them.

How to get a House Ready to Sell

repairs for the house when you need to sell your elderly parents home

If you need to sell your elderly parents home, you may wonder how to get a house ready to sell. Typically, you’ll need to make repairs, make sure everything is working correctly, hire a landscaper for outdoor areas and just get everything in shape in general. This can be a costly endeavor as well as time-consuming. You may need to paint the house inside and out and do all sorts of things to make it marketable. Most of the time if you go through a real estate agent, they will give you a long list of the things that need to be addressed before even putting it on the market. However, before you ask how to get a house ready to sell, look at one more option. You may consider the option to sell your elderly parents home to a cash buyer.

How to get a House Ready to Sell to a Cash Buyer

Are you still asking, how can I sell my parents house before death? And how can you get it ready for a cash buyer without upsetting your parents? It’s actually simpler to get your parents house ready to sell to a cash buyer. You literally don’t need to do a thing except make a phone call. Just call the investor, or contact them online and ask them to come look at the property. They will come out and take a look at the house and make you a cash offer. When an investor buys a house, they make the purchase as-is. That means they take it just like they see it. You don’t have to make any costly repairs or make any renovations. It’s much easier than other options like going through a marketing agency or putting it up for sale by owner.

Selling your parents house is stressful. Although there are lots of ways to do it, using power of attorney takes time and money. Don’t wait for the house to get sold. If you need your parents house sold ASAP then selling to a cash buyer is your best option.

At DM Homebuyers we specialize in a quick sale so that you can get on with the more important things in life. Don’t stress out about selling your parents’ house. In the event you need to sell your parents’ house before death, give us a call at 515-953-3535. We would love to answer any questions about the house selling process that you might have.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: selling parents home

I Have to Sell Parents House to Pay for Care

March 13, 2019 • Thomas

There are many people in a situation where they need to sell parents house to pay for care. Parents often reach the point where they can no longer take care of themselves, or it’s not safe for them to live independently and they need other arrangements. Sometimes when the elderly have the option of living in an assisted living facility, an elderly community or need 24/7 nursing care, their adult children have to sell parents house to pay for care. How does that work? What are the available methods of selling a parents house? Can you sell parents house after death, or do you need to do it before that time comes? Here are a few tips to help you with these difficult decisions.

Tips for Selling Parent’s House

sell parents house to pay for care tips

When selling parents house, there can be many details that need to be discussed. You will need to make sure if there are any remaining financial obligations and if selling the house will prevent them from getting medical housing. Whether you sell before, or sell parents house after death, these are some of the organizations and businesses you’ll need to discuss your parent’s situation with.

  • Check with the bank to ensure there are no outstanding debts or obligations
  • Contact the Social Security Administration
  • Make sure you have necessary paperwork such as power of attorney to make decisions on your parent’s behalf
  • Check the state of the will if you are going to sell parents house after death
  • Discuss the situation with the rest of the family or other interested parties
  • Contact insurance carriers or other services providers such as home insurance providers
  • If you are to sell parents house after death, check with estate planning or will planning attorneys

How to Sell a House by Owner

how to sell parents house to pay for care

Another option you may consider when you need to sell parents house to pay for care is how to sell a house by owner. If your parents are able, and they own the property, this option might work. However, many times when someone needs to sell parents house to pay for care, this is not a viable option. If, however, your parents gave you power of attorney and the legal right to manage and sell their property, you would have this option. However, if you want to use the sell a house by owner option, then you will be doing all the work yourself instead of hiring a real estate agent. There are some benefits to doing the process yourself, but if you don’t know what you are doing, or how to market the house so it will sell, then you may be biting off more than you can chew. You could get stuck sitting on the property indefinitely trying to find a qualified buyer and paying out of your own pocket for your parent’s care. For most people who need to sell parents house to pay for care it is not the best option available.

Can I sell my Parent’s House After Death?

You may also find yourself in a situation where you need to sell parents house after death. If you have power of attorney and the legal right to do so, you can sell parents house after death. But if you don’t, it could end up in probate and take you an extremely long time before you finally end up selling your parents house. It’s much easier in most cases if you can end up selling parents house before they pass away. It can be more complicated to figure out how to sell a house by owner once they are deceased. This is especially true if they did not deed the house to you before their passing, or you did not inherit the house in their will. But if you either inherited the house, or they deeded it to you, it’s much simpler and you may be asking, “How can I sell my house for cash?”

Can I sell my House for Cash or sell parents house to pay for care?

sell parents house to pay for care to cash buyers

If your parents willed the property to you, or deeded it to you, or just gave you the legal power to sell you may be asking, “can I sell my house for cash?” The answer is yes. Selling parents house for cash is often the best choice you have available if you need to sell parents house to pay for care. It’s easy, it’s fast and there’s no hassles involved. You don’t even have to spend the time fixing the house up if you choose to sell it to a cash buyer. There’s no staging, there’s no repairs and you don’t have to wait for a buyer to qualify and secure all the needed paperwork. An investor will make an offer and if you accept it, they will pay you cash on the spot. They also help get all the paperwork done so there’s no waiting for closing. So, if you wondered if you could,” sell my house for cash,” the answer is Yes!

Sell Your Parents House Fast and Simply

Selling your parents house is stressful. Although there are lots of ways to do it, using power of attorney takes time and money. Don’t wait for the house to get sold. If you need your parents house sold ASAP then selling to a cash buyer is your best option.

Here at DM Homebuyers we specialize in closing on houses quickly so that you can move on to more important things in your life. Selling a house has a lot involved, but not if you’re selling to us. You don’t have to repair your home, we’ll buy it as-is! Have a question about the process or want to get your no obligations offer today? Give us a call at 515-953-3535. We’d love to talk to you!

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: selling parents home

Can I Sell My Parents House Before Death?

March 6, 2019 • Thomas

When parents age there needs to be some changes made. It often means that the kids have to attend to this. One of the factors may be that I have to sell my parents house before death. This is a big task for you. It is not one that you do everyday. So it is not one that you are familiar with. The sell my parents house before death task is one that many people face.

Sell Your Elderly Parents Home

sell my parents house before death when they're elderly

Selling parents house means that you have a lot to learn. First, you have to know what options are available to you. I have to sell my parents house before death may mean fewer legalities. It is when it’s compared to selling your parents house after they have passed away. This usually means even greater legal issues.

You have some decisions to make  to sell your elderly parents home. It includes which options are you going to pick to sell my parents house before death.

Sell My Parents House Before Death Preparations

Before thinking about selling the house, it has to be ready for sale. For several of the house selling options you have no choice but to do this. Most home buyers will want a home inspection done. If you don’t do the repairs it may not pass inspection. There will be some disappointments when potential sales fall through. All because it didn’t pass inspection. This brings another challenge for you. Now you have to do the repairs which may be unsettling for your parents. Then there is going to be a cost involved.

Legalities for the can I sell my parents house before death question

sell my parents house before death and other leagalities

Added to all of this are the legalities. Permission has to be obtained in answer to the question can I sell my parents house before death. You may need the power of attorney for them. It is a legal document that allows you to act on their behalf.

Sell House By Owner Options

You may be familiar with the sell house by owner option. For awhile it became quite a trend. After seeing how difficult it can be many people no longer try. Still you need to know what it entails. You need to look at all the selling parents house options.

You may decide that to sell my parents house before death this is the best method. Perhaps you are looking at it as a way to save money on real estate fees. It is true that you can do this. But chances are you will have higher legal fees.

There are a lot of legal documents that come with selling a house. If these are not prepared in a proper manner  it can cause problems. It could cause the sale of the house to fall through. It may mean you need to hire a lawyer to do extra work. This is the work that in normal situations the realtor would do.

You also have to accept to sell my parents house before death that this option is difficult. It means you will be the one that always has to be on call for showings. Plus, you are going to have the task of marketing the house. This is time consuming. Plus, it takes a certain amount of expertise. You don’t have all the resources that the real estate agent has. Then added to this is how to set the price. You want a fair price when you need to sell my parents house before death. Chances are they need the money from the sale to live on. They are going to have to move. Finding new accommodations costs money. You need to decide if you have the time and expertise to see my parents house before death. If you are going to use this option.

Using a Real Estate Agency

sell my parents house before death with a realtor

Think about using professionals. It is another option to consider for the sell my parents house before death task . It means now relying on a real estate agent. This will help with some of the burden of selling someone else’s home. For the most part they will look after the marketing. Plus, they look after a lot of the legal paper work.

There are going to be several downsides to this. Your parents may feel unsettled. They have a stranger looking after some of their affairs. This unknown individual is going to be bringing strangers through their home. Then it could take weeks or months for the sale. During this entire time it is stressful for your parents.

The Sell House for Cash

There is one more option for the sell my parents house before death task. It the sell house for cash opportunity. There are professionals investors that are willing to pay cash for the house. In this situation a cash deal may be perfect.

It means that there won’t be any strangers coming through the home to view it.  It eliminates the needs for the repairs that may need doing. Cash buyers will not expect the completion of any repairs . This is a huge relief because it cuts down on the disruption to your parents.

Your parents are now going to have to move somewhere. It may mean they need cash to do this. Buy using the sell house for cash there are no mortgages that need arranging . Which can often be a problem with other buyers.

Then there are the savings  on the real estate costs.  The legalities for selling the house this way are far less of a burden. It can mean a lot less cost in lawyers fees.

The transition that takes place with the sell house for cash is smooth and hassle free. It creates the ideal situation for your parents. For you the sell my parents house before death is a problem solved. You no longer need to worry about where you are going to get the time to do this. Plus, you don’t have to educate yourself about home selling. Your parents don’t need to stew over about what is going to happen to the house. Having cash offered to them may be a great incentive for them.

The cash offer can help to offset the disappointment they may be feeling. It can be upsetting for them to leave their home. The cash is going to give them something to look forward to. There are no worries about home buyers coming back with complaints. Nor is there the frustration of having to deal with real estate transactions. Especially when they  that tend to fall through.

Need to Sell Your Parents’ House Now?

sell my parents house before death to cash buyer

At DM Homebuyers we specialize in a quick sale so that you can get on with the more important things in life. Don’t stress out about selling your parents’ house. In the event you need to sell your parents’ house before death, give us a call at 515-953-3535. We would love to answer any questions about the house selling process that you might have.

 

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: selling parents home