06/15/2026
When a parent moves into senior care, the family home often becomes one of the most pressing financial questions no one feels ready to address.
Sell before the move, or after? Hold it for heirs, or liquidate now?
The timing can affect the capital gains exclusion, the stepped-up basis available at inheritance, and — if Medicaid could ever be a factor — program eligibility. The options don't all point in the same direction, and the right answer depends on the family's specific situation.
Whether you’re moving into senior care or helping a parent through the transition, the question of what to do with the house deserves a real answer. Here’s how to think through the financial side.