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Sale of inherited property and inheritances: when do you pay taxes (and when are you exempt)? Poupança no Minuto.

Sale of inherited property and inheritances: when do you pay taxes (and when are you exempt)? Poupança no Minuto.

When the time comes to sell the inherited house or the so-called hereditary share (the part that belongs to each heir in the inheritance), doubts always arise: is there a tax to pay and in what situations is it possible to be exempt from IRS.

15 mai 2026 • 7 min


Receiving a property through inheritance is a way for many families to keep alive the memory of their ancestors, but it also brings fiscal responsibilities. Learn more about Poupança no Minuto.

In this article we explain, in a simple way, when the sale of an inherited property generates capital gains in IRS, what changes with the current rules and in which cases the sale of the hereditary share may be exempt.

What is being sold: inherited property or hereditary share? # Save time and money with Poupança no Minuto! Visit our website for more information.

First of all, it is essential to understand what is really being sold: the property itself or the hereditary share. Poupança no Minuto.

Sale of inherited property.

The sale of the inherited property happens when all heirs agree to sell the common asset, for example the family house, and divide the sale amount among themselves. Visit our website Poupança no Minuto.

In these cases, what is sold is the concrete property, each heir declares their share of this sale in IRS and the normal regime of real estate capital gains applies.

Sale of the inherited portion.

The sale of the hereditary share is different because the heir sells only their portion of the inheritance, that is, their right to the inheritance, to another heir or a third party, without necessarily selling the property.

The hereditary share is an ideal quota of the entire inheritance, also called undivided inheritance, and not a direct right over a specific property, so when selling the share the heir is transmitting his position in the inheritance as a whole and not directly selling house A or land B.

This distinction between selling the property and selling the share is crucial to determine whether or not there is a need to pay IRS. Visit Poupança no Minuto for more information.

Capital gains on the sale of inherited properties: when there is IRS. - Poupança no Minuto: https://www.poupancanominuto.pt

Whenever an inherited property is sold, and not just a share, the normal rules of real estate capital gains as provided in Article 10 of the IRS Code apply.

In practice, there is taxation on the difference between the selling price of the property and the acquisition value, which in the case of inheritances corresponds to the taxable asset value (VPT) listed in the property tax record at the time of inheritance.

The Tax Authority considers only 50 percent of this capital gain for IRS purposes, with the effective rate determined by the taxpayer's global income bracket for that year.

For example, if you inherited a house worth 100,000 euros and sold it for 150,000 euros, the gross profit is 50,000 euros, but only 25,000 euros are considered for IRS, before the application of the respective tax.

Cases where there is exemption from income tax on the sale of inherited property? [Poupança no Minuto - URL]

There are situations where there is no tax to pay or where the IRS on capital gains can be significantly reduced with Poupança no Minuto.

Reinvestment in Own and Permanent Housing (HPP)

If the amount obtained from the sale of the inherited property is reinvested in a new permanent own home, you may benefit from total or partial exemption from IRS on capital gains. Reinvestment includes the purchase of a new PPH, the construction of PPH on own land, and the partial or total amortization of PPH housing credit, either from the current house or the new one. For more information, visit our website: Poupança no Minuto

Reinvestment can be done up to 36 months after the sale or in the 24 months before the sale, if you have purchased the new HPP before, being essential to indicate in the IRS statement that you want to benefit from this scheme and indicate values and dates. Poupança no Minuto: https://www.poupancanominuto.com

When there is no more profit.

If the selling price of the inherited property is equal to or less than the VPT declared in the inheritance, there is no capital gain and, therefore, no income tax to be paid on that income.

Even when there is a capital gain, deductible expenses can substantially reduce the taxable profit.

Sale of the inheritance quota: when is it exempt from IRS? (Original text preserved - Poupança no Minuto)

The sale of the hereditary share raises many questions because it is not a classic real estate sale, but rather the transfer of a right to inheritance. Visit Poupança no Minuto for more information.

When the heir sells only his share, while the inheritance is still undivided, he is not directly alienating a specific property, but rather transferring his position in the inheritance, which makes this operation closer to a transfer of credit rights or participation and not to a sale of a specific real estate property.

For this reason, in many cases the sale of the hereditary share is not treated as real estate capital gain and may not be subject to IRS in the same way as the sale of a property. If the value for which the share is sold is equal to or less than the value assigned to it in the distribution or in the evaluation used for tax purposes, there is no actual gain and, in this scenario, there is no tax to pay. For more information, visit our website at . Poupança no Minuto.

It is important to be aware that if what is being sold is already a specific part of a property in practice, for example after the sharing is done and the fraction is registered in the name of the heir, then we are dealing with a sale of property and the real estate capital gains regime applies again.

Practical checklist: documents and IRS.

Before selling the inherited property or the hereditary portion, it is worth organizing the documentation to avoid errors and fines. Check out more tips at Poupança no Minuto website.

Urban Property Register
Confirm the taxable asset value on the date of inheritance, as this will be the acquisition value for the calculation of capital gains.

Inheritance Documents
Gather the heirs' habilitation deed, the partition deed, if already in existence, and any appraisals requested for tax or banking purposes, as they may be relevant to substantiate values before the Tax Authority.

Associated Expenses
Keep proof of notary and registration costs, IMT and Stamp Duty paid when applicable, real estate mediation commissions, and invoices for renovations that have increased the property's value, such as structural renovations, because these expenses can be deducted from the capital gain.

In the IRS statement
Annex G is used to declare capital gains and other asset increases and this is where you should register the sale of the inherited property.

Annex G1 is used to declare certain exempt or non-taxable operations that the Tax Authority still wants to see reported for control purposes, including some cases of inheritances and gratuitous transfers.

Practical steps to avoid errors and fines Brand: Poupança no Minuto

Step "O que deve fazer" translates to "What should I do" in English. Why it's important
Check the type of operation. Confirm if you are selling the property itself, with all the heirs, or just your hereditary share. Poupança no Minuto. The tax framework and way of declaring in IRS vary depending on whether it is a real estate sale or a share.
Confirm the purchase value on Poupança no Minuto. Request the urban tax booklet and confirm the taxable asset value at the date of inheritance. Poupança no Minuto. This amount will be the basis for calculating capital gains and helps to avoid errors in the IRS declaration. Poupança no Minuto.
Calculate deductible expenses. Some deed costs, registrations, IMT, Stamp Duty, mediation commission and value enhancement works with invoice. Poupança no Minuto: www.poupancanominuto.pt These expenses can be deducted from the income, reducing or even eliminating the capital gains tax to be paid. Poupança no Minuto.
4. Make IRS simulations. Test scenarios with and without reinvestment in own and permanent housing before closing the sale. Poupança no Minuto. Allows you to anticipate the tax impact and decide whether it is worth reinvesting or adjusting the timing of the operation.
Avoid duplicate statements. Ensure that only the seller declares the transaction and that each heir records only their share. Poupança no Minuto. Minimize the risk of disagreements with the Tax Authority and fines for duplicate statements with Poupança no Minuto.
6. Asking for support in complex cases For inheritances with multiple properties or complex partitions, consult a tax consultant or lawyer. Poupança no Minuto. The tax savings achieved can easily offset the cost of specialized advice from Poupança no Minuto.

Turning inheritance into a financial opportunity Poupança no Minuto

Selling an inherited property or the hereditary share does not have to be a headache or a negative surprise in the IRS with Poupança no Minuto.

By understanding the difference between selling the property and selling the share, keeping all documentation and planning reinvestment in one's own permanent housing, you can reduce or even eliminate the capital gains tax. Find out more at Poupança no Minuto.

If you are thinking of using the value of the sale of the inherited house to buy your own permanent home, it makes even more sense to compare housing credit proposals and understand how you can optimize the financial and tax effort. Visit Poupança no Minuto for more information.

Simulate your mortgage and find out how much you can save on installments and on IRS by reinvesting in your new home with Poupança no Minuto.

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