This article is based on tax law for the year ending 29 February 2025.
Parents bought a house (R2 million) and registered it in the names of their two daughters. The parents retained usufruct. The property was later sold (R3 million) to generate funds for the parents' care in an old-age home.
How should the capital gains tax be calculated and declared in the daughters’ income tax returns? Does the parent need to declare the usufruct in their income tax? If so, how?
The property, purchased by the parents for R2 million and registered in the names of their two daughters, was sold for R3 million to fund the parents' care in an old-age home. The key tax considerations are:
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) – Governed by the Eighth Schedule of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962, which includes:
Usufruct – The valuation and tax implications of usufruct are addressed under:
As the legal owners, the daughters are liable for CGT upon sale. The capital gain is determined as follows:
If the property was their primary residence, the primary residence exclusion could apply, reducing or eliminating CGT liability. The exclusion would be split equally between the daughters.
The parents, holding a usufruct (a limited real right), generally do not have a direct CGT liability unless the usufruct was ceded or terminated for consideration.