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Answer 3, sort of: This answer may differ in community property states. I'm not in one or near one, so won't provide that here. In equitable distribution states- Decedent's share of property that is inherited gets stepped up, existing accumulated depreciation is wiped out, and depreciable life starts over at 27.5 years residential, or the 39 years for commercial. This also means there is no recapture. For the 50% portion of the property that already belonged to the survivor, that basis remains intact as does the 50% share of depreciation and its remaining depreciable life. This means that the overall depreciation of the entire property is calculated in two halves. It's like having two separate assets to depreciate. Other things about this situation: If the property has carryover losses, both halves are available for use in the year of death. In subsequent years, only the surviving party's share of the loss carryover will remain. In other words, the decedent's 50% share of the loss carryover dies with the death, but is available for use in the year of death, the same as how capital loss carryovers work for a married couple.

Way back in the day when I worked at Block, I found you could get on your hands and knees and beg clients not to go for a bank product, usually to no avail. I'd point out that for the exorbitant fee you could buy a couple of weeks of groceries or a tire for the car. (That really was back in the day.) Maybe a few really did need the money now because the rent was overdue, but I think the majority were EITC recipients and the refund was free money to them so it didn't matter if they got $3k or $2700 because either amount made them a lot richer than they were.

This is exactly what drew my attention where this newer member would regurgitate the OP question and facts, and then incorporate an answer. It seemed weird and robotic because the tone here and on many forums these days is more casual and conversational.