When children inherit a home, the Internal Revenue Service determines their basis in the property on the date of the person's death. The cost basis is not the amount the owner originally paid for the house. It is the property's fair market value on the date of the mother's death.
Cost basis is a tax term for the dollar amount assigned to a property at the time it is acquired, for the purpose of determining gain or loss when it is sold. Assume the property was divided up equally. If one of the three siblings sold her share, she must pay capital gains tax for whatever profit she made over one-third of the new basis.
Other tax consequences include estate taxes. However, the estate must total $600,000 or more before tax issues become a concern. The IRS allow residents to pass on property, cash and other assets worth up to a total of $600,000 before charging the heirs any taxes.
Regarding the transfer of ownership, quit claim deeds often are used between family members in situations such as this when an heir is buying out the other. All parties must be agreeable to dropping a name from the title.