For the record - Nov. 18, 2007

Stepped-up basis: The Nov. 11 Q&A; column about a home’s stepped-up basis to market value was applicable only in non-community-property states. When a spouse dies in community-property states, such as California, the surviving spouse gets a stepped-up basis on the entire property. The stepped-up basis means that when the property is eventually sold, there will be less taxable gain.