Tag Archives: estate tax
Estate Tax Reform: Top 5 Takeaways
Last week I summarized the 2018 rates and exemptions for gift, estates and trusts. Compared to the major tax code reforms to personal and business taxation, the estate tax changes appear relatively straightforward. The estate tax was not repealed, but the unified Federal gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax exemptions more than doubled overnight… Read More »
2018 Estate Tax Summary
I previously provided summaries of estate and gift taxes for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Unlike the minor changes of the prior few years, 2018 brings major federal tax law changes via the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” signed late 2017, which includes significant changes to Federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes…. Read More »
Big News! IRS Extends Portability Election Deadline For Estates Since 2011
In an unexpected move, the IRS announced in Rev. Proc. 2017-34 (June 9, 2017) that estates who failed to file an optional estate tax return (Form 706) to elect “portability” of a deceased spouse’s unused exemption (DSUE) now have until at least January 2, 2018 to file. This relief extends all the way back… Read More »
2017 Estate Tax Summary
I previously provided summaries of estate and gift taxes for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. As with the last few years, the changes at the beginning of this year are primarily inflation adjustments. For 2017, the unified federal estate, gift and GST tax exemption rises by just $40,000 — from $5.45 million in 2016… Read More »
New IRS Form 8971: Basis Reporting for Taxable Estates
When an individual dies leaving a gross estate (plus past taxable gifts) that exceeds the federal exclusion amount in the year of death ($5.45 million in 2016), a Form 706 Federal Estate Tax Return must be filed. This has long been the law. But a new law now imposes an additional filing requirement on… Read More »
2016 Estate Tax Summary
Previously I wrote summaries of estate and gift taxes for 2013, 2014 and 2015. As with the last couple years, the changes this year are primarily inflation adjustments. For 2016, the unified federal estate, gift and GST tax exemption rises by just $20,000 — from $5.43 million in 2015 to $5.45 million in 2016…. Read More »
IRS Issues Final Regulations for Estate Tax Portability Elections
On June 12, 2015 — nearly 3 years after issuing temporary regulations — the IRS issued spousal portability election final regulations (read TD 9725 at the Federal Register here). The final regs don’t vary significantly from the temporary regs, but they do serve as an excellent reminder that spousal portability will be permanently waived… Read More »
IRS Extends Portability Election Deadline for 2011 to 2013 Estates
Last week I discussed why every surviving spouse should consider filing a Federal Estate Tax Return Form 706 to elect portability of the unused portion of their spouse’s federal estate tax exemption. I explained that in order to take advantage of portability the estate’s representative must make an affirmative election on a timely filed… Read More »
Portability: The Tax Election Every Surviving Spouse Must Consider
The Federal Estate Tax exemption for 2014 is $5.34 million. This means that if a decedent’s gross estate (plus past taxable gifts) is less than $5.34 million then filing a Federal Estate Tax Return (Form 706) is not required. However, a surviving spouse should always consider the option of electing to file a Federal… Read More »
2014 Estate Tax Summary
Happy New Year! I wrote a summary of the 2013 Estate Tax Essentials last year. 2013 saw some major changes to estate and gift taxes. The adjustments for 2014, however, are only minor automatic inflation adjustments. The federal estate, gift and GST tax exemption rose from $5.25 million to $5.34 million. Here is an… Read More »