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The Global Insight

Can I use my spouses capital gains allowance?

Author

James Olson

Updated on March 09, 2026

Transfer between spouses is currently exempt from CGT. This means that assets can be transferred between husband and wife or civil partners so that both annual CGT allowances are used. This effectively doubles the CGT allowance for married couples and civil partners. The transfer must be a genuine, outright gift.

How much can you gift to avoid capital gains tax?

If you don’t want to pay 15% or 20% in capital gains taxes, give the appreciated assets to someone who doesn’t have to pay as high a rate. The IRS allows taxpayers to gift up to $15,000 per person (a couple filing jointly can gift up to $30,000), per year without needing to file a gift tax return.

Can you avoid capital gains tax by gifting?

By gifting appreciated stock, you avoid any long-term capital gains tax liability that you would otherwise owe in the future. Any capital gain liability does transfer to the recipient of your gift – there is no “step-up” in cost basis when gifting stock; this occurs only at death.

How does capital gains tax work for a married couple?

Your capital gains tax is reduced by each beneficial owner’s capital gains tax allowance. HMRC see a married couple as separate individuals for tax purposes and as such if both own a beneficial interest in the sold property then they can both use their capital gains tax allowance to reduce the tax they have to pay.

Do you pay capital gains tax when you inherit a house?

Do you pay capital gains tax if you inherit a house? Typically when you sell a home for more than you paid for it, you have to pay capital gains tax. It can range from 0% to 20%, depending on your…

How much can you exclude from capital gains when you sell your home?

Unmarried individuals can exclude up to $250,000 in profits from capital gains tax when they sell their primary personal residence, thanks to a home sales exclusion provided for by the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Married taxpayers can exclude up to $500,000 in gains. 1 

Do you have to pay capital gains on a gift?

If you gift someone a property, you will usually have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if it increased in value since you bought it. It’s as if you sold the property for a profit, then took that money and gave it to them as a gift instead. You don’t need to pay CGT if: Or you put it into a trust for the benefit of your child.