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The Global Insight

How do you calculate capital gains on a cottage sale?

Author

Christopher Davis

Updated on March 07, 2026

Capital gains on the sale of a property are calculated by subtracting the adjusted cost base (ACB), which is what you paid for the cottage plus any closing costs from the proceeds of the sale. The larger the ACB, the smaller the capital gains.

How do you avoid capital gains on a cottage?

Cottage owners should keep record of their cost bases, which are to be maximized much as possible, added Natale. For example, if a renovation is made—for example, adding a dock or building a deck—those upgrades increase the cost base, thereby reducing the capital gains.

Do you pay capital gains when you sell your cottage?

The sale of your cottage property will result in the realization of a capital gain if the value of your cottage increased while you owned it. A cottage can be designated as a principal residence (even if you don’t use it as your primary residence) as long as it is “ordinarily inhabited” at some point during the year.

How do you find the fair market value of a cottage?

Another way to determine the fair market value of home is to locate recently sold properties in your area that are similar to your home in size, square footage, condition, features and age. Add up the total sale price of each property, then divide by the number of properties to find the mean sale price.

When did you take capital gain on sale of cottage?

Many Canadians took a deemed capital gain on their 1994 income tax return that pushed up the tax cost of certain capital assets for tax purposes–including their cottages–based on the market value at that time. You should see if you guys did so, as this would reduce the ultimate capital gain on sale.

When did your cottage become your cost base?

If your cottage was purchased prior to 1972, you will need to know the fair market value (“FMV”) on December 31, 1971; the FMV of your cottage on this date became your cost base when the CRA brought in capital gains taxation.

What was the FMV for cottage in 1994?

The FMV would have needed to be calculated as of February 22, 1994, to determine the accrued capital gain on your cottage had form T664 been filed at that time. FMV for real estate can be estimated, but is probably more reliably determined by a professional appraiser.

When do I need to know fair market value of my cottage?

1. If your cottage was purchased prior to 1972, you will need to know the fair market value (“FMV”) on December 31, 1971; the FMV of your cottage on this date became your cost base when the CRA brought in capital gains taxation. 2.