Q. A couple of years ago I self-built a bungalow in my back garden intending to sell on the open market but since then my son and daughter in law have split up so I am now looking to sell the property to him but at a lower than market value. The bungalow cost overall £280,000 and is now valued at £520,000. My son can only afford to pay me £375,000. What are the capital gains tax (CGT) implications?
A: When you gift an asset to anyone, or when you transfer an asset to a connected person (e.g., a son – as in this case), for CGT purposes the asset is deemed to go across at present market value. The amount actually paid is ignored. Therefore, since the property is currently worth £520,000, and it cost £280,000, there is a capital gain of £240,000. However, there may be a value to allocate for the actual land underneath the property being transferred which may be included in the calculation.
