[발췌] What is the difference between carryover basis and a step-up in basis?

출처: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-difference-between-carryover-basis-and-step-basis

※ 발췌 (excerpt):

The difference is whether heirs who sell an inherited asset will pay tax on the capital gains from the time they asset was originally purchased or from the time they inherited it. In some cases, the difference is a lot of tax liability.

A capital gain occurs if a capital asset is sold or exchanged at a price higher than its "basis," the original purchase price with some adjustments.  When a person inherits a asset, the basis becomes the fair market value of the asset at the time of the owner's death. This is called a "step-up in basis" because the basis of the decendent's asset is stepped up to market value. With the gifts made during the giver's lifetime, the recipient retains the basis of the person who made the gift ("carryover basis").

The unrealized gain (or loss) on assets given by gift or bequest is not included in the income of the donor. The recipeint is not subject to income tax on the asset's value at the time it is received, but generally must include any gain if the asset is subsequently sold or otherwise disposed of. The realized gain is the amount received from the sale of the asset less the asset's basis. ( ... .... )


CF. 2010년 미국 상속세의 한시적 폐지와 전망 (법률신문, 2010-02-22)