Basis of property; gain or loss from sale or other disposition of property

# (a)

The basis of property, except as otherwise provided in this act, shall be the cost of such property.

# (1)

If the property should have been included in the last inventory, the basis shall be the last inventory value thereof.

# (2)

The basis of property in the hands of a person acquiring the property from a decedent other than by purchase or to whom the property passed from a decedent shall, if not sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of before the decedent's death by such person, be the fair market value of the property at the date of the decedent's death.

# (3)

If the property was acquired by gift the basis shall be the same as it would be in the hands of the donor or the last preceding owner by whom it was not acquired by gift, except that if such basis is greater than the fair market value of the property at the time of the gift, then for the purpose of determining loss the basis shall be such fair market value.

# (4)

If the basis of property cannot otherwise be established, the basis of such property shall be the fair market value at the time of acquisition.

# (b)

The gain from the sale or other disposition of property shall be the excess of the amount realized over the basis of such property and the loss shall be the excess of the basis of such property over the amount realized.

L.1961, c. 32, p. 146, s. 42, eff. May 29, 1961. Amended by L.1961, c. 129, p. 788, s. 26, eff. Dec. 22, 1961.