Capital Gains and Family Real Estate: How Shared Purchases Affect Taxation in Canada

By Admin September 20, 2025

When families pool their resources to purchase real estate, they rarely think about the tax consequences down the road. Parents may supply savings, adult children may take out a mortgage, and together the family makes homeownership possible. But when the property is later sold, questions about capital gains tax can become unexpectedly complicated.

This blog explores one such situation: a family purchases a home with mixed contributions, title is held in the children’s names, and years later the property is sold at a gain. Who owes the capital gains tax? Can the principal residence exemption apply even if the parents are not on title? And what planning strategies can families use to avoid unnecessary tax?

The Family Purchase Scenario

Imagine this scenario with round numbers for clarity:

An older couple has $200,000 in savings.
Their adult children borrow $300,000 through a mortgage.
Together, they purchase a house for $500,000.
For financing reasons, the property is registered solely in the children’s names.
The parents move into the home and cover the mortgage payments and household costs every month.

After several years, the property is sold for $700,000. The key question: who reports the $200,000 increase in value?

Understanding Capital Gains in Canada

When property that is not your principal residence is sold, Canada taxes 50% of the gain at your marginal income tax rate.

Capital gain = Sale price – Adjusted cost base (original purchase price + certain expenses).
Example: A house purchased for $500,000, sold for $700,000, produces a gain of $200,000. Half of this ($100,000) is taxable, and the amount owing depends on your income bracket.

The principal residence exemption (PRE) shields homeowners from this tax if the property was their main home for every year of ownership. The challenge in shared family purchases is aligning legal ownership (whose names are on title) with beneficial ownership (who really owns and uses the home).

Legal vs. Beneficial Ownership

In tax law, legal ownership refers to the names on title, while beneficial ownership refers to who enjoys the use, benefits, and responsibilities of the property.

In our example, the children are the legal owners because their names appear on title.
However, the parents provided the initial capital, lived in the home, and paid the ongoing costs. By substance, they are the beneficial owners.

The CRA generally looks at beneficial ownership to determine who owes capital gains tax. If the parents are considered the beneficial owners, the gain may be sheltered by the principal residence exemption. If not, the children—who never lived in the property—could face tax liability.

Following the Money

Tax law often follows the principle of “follow the money.” Courts and the CRA ask:

Who contributed the down payment?
Who paid the mortgage, taxes, and insurance?
Who lived in the home and treated it as their principal residence?
Who will ultimately receive the sale proceeds?

If the parents contributed most of the funds, covered the costs, and lived there, the strongest argument is that they are the beneficial owners. The children simply held legal title as a convenience for financing.

The Risk Without Documentation

Here is where families run into trouble. If nothing is documented and the property is legally owned only by the children, CRA may presume the children are the full owners.

That means:

The parents cannot claim the principal residence exemption, because they are not on title.
The children cannot claim it either, because they did not live in the property.
Result: a capital gains tax bill on the $200,000 gain.

The lack of a written agreement or declaration of trust creates uncertainty and exposes the family to tax.

Planning Options to Reduce Capital Gains Exposure

Families considering this kind of purchase have several planning strategies available. Each comes with pros and cons.

1. Put Everyone on Title

The most straightforward option is to register both parents and children as co-owners. If the parents live in the home, they can claim the principal residence exemption for their share.

Caution: Adding multiple owners can complicate estate planning, expose the property to creditors of each owner, and may require family agreements to govern future sales.

2. Use a Bare Trust Arrangement

The children can hold legal title in trust for the parents, who remain the beneficial owners. With a bare trust, the children have no real interest—title is simply held in their names for financing or convenience.

Caution: This arrangement must be properly documented through a trust declaration. Without written evidence, CRA may not accept the trust.

3. Draft a Co-Ownership Agreement

If the intent is that both generations contribute and benefit, a written co-ownership agreement clarifies each party’s share and responsibilities. This makes it easier to establish beneficial ownership if CRA questions the arrangement.

Caution: Legal fees and careful drafting are needed to avoid disputes later.

4. Formalize Beneficial Ownership After the Fact

Even if title has been registered only in the children’s names, the family can create a Declaration of Trust confirming the parents’ beneficial ownership. This should be supported by records of contributions and payments.

Caution: CRA may scrutinize retroactive documentation, so contemporaneous records are always stronger.

Consequences If No Planning Is Done

If the family takes no steps to clarify ownership:

CRA could tax the children on the capital gain.
Because the children did not live in the property, they cannot use the principal residence exemption.
On a $200,000 gain, this could mean $50,000–$75,000 in tax, depending on their income brackets.

By contrast, if the parents are recognized as beneficial owners, the gain is fully sheltered because the property was their principal residence.

Real Estate Closings and Capital Gains

These issues don’t just matter for tax filings—they affect real estate closings too:

Sellers: If beneficial ownership is unclear, the wrong people may sign the closing documents or pay tax unnecessarily.
Buyers: Purchasers must be sure that the people signing the agreement are the true beneficial owners, not just names on title.
Lawyers: Closing documents, payout directions, and declarations must align ownership and tax treatment. Otherwise, the deal may be challenged later.

A lawyer handling a sale must often ask probing questions: Who lived here? Who paid for it? Who is entitled to the proceeds? These questions are critical to aligning legal and beneficial ownership.

Lessons for Families

Do not rely on informal family arrangements. Tax law does not give special treatment simply because the transaction is “within family.”
Ownership must reflect reality. If the parents live in the home and pay for it, they should be recognized as beneficial owners.
Document everything. Whether through co-ownership agreements, trust declarations, or adding names to title, families must create a paper trail to protect themselves.
Plan early. Structuring ownership properly at the time of purchase is far easier than trying to fix it when the property is about to be sold.

How a Lawyer Can Help

A lawyer with experience in taxation and real estate law can add real value in these situations:

Advising on how to structure ownership to minimize capital gains.
Drafting trust agreements, co-ownership contracts, or title arrangements.
Coordinating with accountants to ensure the principal residence exemption is preserved.
Handling CRA audits or disputes if beneficial ownership is questioned.
Ensuring that closing documents and tax obligations align with the family’s true intentions.

By addressing these issues upfront, families can save tens of thousands of dollars and avoid conflict later.

Final Takeaway

When families combine savings and mortgages to buy a home, the way ownership is structured matters just as much as the financial contributions. If legal title and beneficial ownership don’t align, the wrong people may be taxed on capital gains when the property is sold.

In the example we considered, if the children remain the only names on title, CRA may treat them as the owners and assess capital gains tax—even though the parents lived in the property and paid all the costs. With proper planning, such as co-ownership agreements or trust declarations, the parents can be recognized as the beneficial owners and claim the principal residence exemption.

The lesson is simple but critical: in real estate and tax law, intent is not enough—documentation is everything. Families who plan ahead with legal guidance can protect their home, avoid unnecessary capital gains, and ensure a smooth real estate closing when the time comes.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Laws and procedures can vary. You should consult with qualified professionals (e.g., a real estate lawyer, mortgage broker, real estate agent) for advice on your specific situation. No professional-client relationship is created by reading this content.