The new basis for the surviving spouse would be equal to the fair market value on the date of death plus the original basis divided by 2 or $100,000 + 50,000 / 2 = $75,000. In other words, half of the assets receive a stepped up basis â not too bad.
1 Heart disease or heart attack (in this case, shortness of breath may be accompanied by swelling of the feet/ankles). 2  Lung disease. 3  Emphysema. 4  Pneumonia (breathlessness often accompanied by high fever, cough and mucus). 5  Asthma or allergies. 6  Anemia (other symptoms characterized by fatigue and pale skin color).
It is sometimes to difficult to tell whether shortness of breath is due to CHF, diseases of the lung, other diseases of the heart including blockage of the arteries, or other conditions. People with CHF also may experience weakness with exertion due to the inability to increase the output of the heart.