How your client can exclude from taxable income some of the gain on the sale of his home

My client bought his home a few years ago. Now he wants to sell it and take advantage of the tax exclusion of up to $250,000 on the proceeds. What criteria does he have to meet to qualify for the tax exclusion?

The IRS allows a seller to exclude from his taxable income a gain of up to $250,000 on the sale of his home (or $500,000 if he is married filing jointly) if he:

1. owned the home and used it as his principal residence during at least two of the last five years before the sale

2. didn’t acquire the home through a 1031 exchange during the past five years

3. didn’t exclude a gain on another home sold during the two years before the current sale.

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