Assignment title: Information
For each of the following situation, select the response that best describes the treatment of the
property as far as inclusion in Decedent's probate estate and/or gross estate.
At his death, Decedent owned with his
Daughter a vacation home that was titled
joint with right of survivorship. Eight years
before his death, Decedent had added
Daughters name to title. Daughter did not
give any consideration in exchange for her
half of the vacation home.
At his death, Decedent owned with his
Daughter a vacation home that was titled
joint with right of survivorship. Eight years
before his death, Decedent had added
Daughters name to title in exchange for the
payment by Daughter of an amount equal to
50% of the value of the vacation home at that
time.
At his death, Decedent owned with his
Daughter a vacation home that was titled
joint with right of survivorship. Daughter had
originally purchased the vacation home. Eight
years before his death, Daughter had added
Decedent's name to title. Decedent did not
give any consideration to Daughter in
exchange for his half of the vacation home.
At the time of his death, Decedent owned a
life insurance policy that insured his life. His
Daughter was named as the beneficiary of
the policy.
A life insurance policy insuring Decedent's
life was in force at the time of his death. The
policy was owned by his Daughter at the time
of Decedent's death. Decedent had originally
owned the policy, but transferred it to
daughter 30 months ago as a gift (i.e., no
consideration received).
A life insurance policy insuring Decedent's
life was in force at the time of his death. The
policy was owned by his Daughter at the time
of Decedent's death. Decedent had originally
owned the policy, but transferred it to
daughter 54 months ago as a gift (i.e., no
consideration received).
A life insurance policy insuring Decedent's
life was in force at the time of his death. The
policy was owned by his irrevocable life
insurance trust (ILIT). Decedent never owned
A. The property is not included in Decedent's
probate estate, but 50% of the date-of- death
value is included in Decedent's gross estate.
B. The property is included in both
Decedent's probate estate and in his gross
estate.
C. The property is included in Decedent's
probate estate, but not in his gross estate.
D. Decedent does not have a probate or
gross estate, because his property is left to
an immediate family member.
E. The property is not included in Decedent's
probate estate, but the full date-of- death
value is included in Decedent's gross estate.
F. None of the other answers is correct.
G. The property is not included in either
Decedent's probate estate or his gross
estate.
the policy. Rather, the trustee of the ILIT
purchased the policy with funds provided to
the trust by Decedent. The policy was
purchased by the trustee 30 months before
Decedent died.
When he died, Decedent owned several
certificates of deposit (CDs). The title of each
CD included a "payable-on- death"
beneficiary.
At the time of his death, all of Decedent's
property was held in a revocable living trust.
Until his death, Decedent was the trustee of
his living trust. Upon his death, a successor
trustee was named and the trust
automatically became an irrevocable trust.
At his death, Decedent owned a Roth IRA
that named his Daughter as beneficiary in the
event of death.
Q2. At her death in 2015, Sarah had a taxable estate that was worth $7,430,000. For each of the
following situations, compute the estate tax that is due at Sarah's death.
At her death in 2015, Sarah was single
(never married). Sarah had made no
taxable gifts during her lifetime.
At her death in 2015, Sarah was single
(never married). In 2011, Sarah had
made a taxable gift valued at $2,250,000.
At her death in 2015, Sarah was single
(never married). In 2009, Sarah had
made a taxable gift valued at $2,250,000.
At her death in 2015, Sarah was single
(widowed). Sarah's husband had died in
2011 with a taxable estate of $2,250,000.
Because Husband's taxable estate was
less than his applicable exclusion amount
(AEA) in 2011, no estate tax was filed.
Sarah had made no taxable gifts during
her lifetime.
At her death in 2015, Sarah was single
(widowed). Sarah's husband had died in
2011 with a taxable estate of $2,250,000.
Although Husband's taxable estate was
less than his applicable exclusion amount
(AEA) in 2011, an estate tax was filed for
the sole purpose of electing portability
with respect to his unused AEA. Sarah
A. Sarah's estate tax is $800,000.
B. Sarah's estate tax is $0.
C. Sarah's estate tax is $2,655,800.
D. Sarah's estate tax is $700,000.
E. None of the other answers is correct.
F. Sarah's estate tax is $1,050,000.
G. Sarah's estate tax is $1,487,500.
H. Sarah's estate tax is $1,200,000.
I. Sarah's estate tax is $1,700,000.
had made no taxable gifts during her
lifetime.
Q3. Lester died right now, he would have a gross estate wort $8 mil. Lester wants to assure that his
taxable estate bears no estate tax. Further, he wants to provide for his wife's support needs for as long as
she lives. However, Lester is reluctant to simply bequeath his entire estate to his wife, because he has
children from a prior marriage to whom he wants his estate eventually to go. With this in mind, Lester
wishes to have his entire estate to be transferred to a "QTIP Trust" when he dies, with his executor
making a QTIP election such that there will be no estate tax on Lester's estate. Select the best answer to
each of the following questions.
In previous years (pre-2011), Lester made
taxable gifts that totaled $820,000. If Lester
died in 2015, in what amount should Lester's
executor "make the QTIP election"?
Refer to the question above. Assuming the
value of the trust property increases to $12 mil.
by the time Lester's wife dies, how much of the
trust's $12,000,000 value will be included in
Lester's wife's gross estate?
In previous years (pre-2011), Lester made
taxable gifts that totaled $1,250,000. If Lester
died in 2015, in what amount should Lester's
executor "make the QTIP election"?
Refer to the question above. Assuming the
value of the trust property increases to $12 mil.
by the time Lester's wife dies, how much of the
trust's $12,000,000 value will be included in
Lester's wife's gross estate?
A. The QTIP election should be made in the
amount of $2,570,000, leaving a taxable estate
of $5,430,000.
B. Nothing will be included.
C. The QTIP election should be made in the
amount of $3,570,000, leaving a taxable estate
of $4,430,000.
D. The QTIP election should be made in the
amount of $3,390,000, leaving a taxable estate
of $4,610,000.
E. The QTIP election should be made in the
amount of $8,000,000, leaving a taxable estate
of zero.
F. $12,000,000 will be included.
G. None of the other answers is correct.
H. $5,085,000 will be included.
I. No QTIP election should be made by Lester's
executor.
J. $5,355,000 will be included.
Q3. Referring to Lester's QTIP Trust above, can Lester's wife be allowed any access to the property of
the trust (i.e., powers of appointment)? That is, can the beneficiary of a QTIP Trust be allowed to "invade
corpus"?
A. None of the other answers is correct.
B. Yes, a power of appointment is OK, as long as it is not a general power of appointment.
C. Yes, any power of appointment is OK, including a general power of appointment.
D. No, any power of appointment will result in the benefits of any QTIP planning being lost.
Q4. For each of the following 2015 taxable estate amounts, determine the tentative estate tax. Note,
tentative estate tax is the estate tax before applying any credits-just compute the tax on the taxable
estate. I want you to practice using the tax table.
$3,500,000
$5,430,000
$1, 000, 000
$10,000,000
A. None of the other answers is
correct
B. $3,945,800
C. $1,345,800
D. $345,800
E. $2,117,800
Q5. Lonnie died in 2015 with a taxable estate of $6,430,000. This figure does not include any value, if
applicable; associated with a $5,000,000 life insurance policy Lonnie had given away in a previous year.
Two and a half years ago, Lonnie gave his $5,000,000 life insurance policy (on his life) to his favorite
nephew. The policy was a term policy; therefore, at the time of the gift, there was no value associated
with the policy. Each year, when the premium was due on the policy, Lonnie gave his nephew cash to pay
the premium. In no year was the premium (and, therefore, the cash gift) greater than $14,000, the annual
gift tax exclusion. Under the circumstances described, there are no gift tax implications related to the gift
of the insurance policy. Lonnie's nephew received a check in the amount of $5,000,000 from the
insurance company. What is the estate tax due with respect to Lonnie's death?
A. $2,400,000
B. $400,000
C. $4,517,800
D. None of the other answers is correct
E. $2,517,800
Q6. Lonnie died in 2015 with a taxable estate of $6,430,000. This figure does not include any value, if
applicable; associated with a $5,000,000 life insurance policy Lonnie had given away in a previous year.
Five years ago, Lonnie gave his $5,000,000 life insurance policy (on his life) to his favorite nephew. The
policy was a term policy; therefore, at the time of the gift, there was no value associated with the policy.
Each year, when the premium was due on the policy, Lonnie gave his nephew cash to pay the premium.
In no year was the premium (and, therefore, the cash gift) greater than the annual gift tax exclusion.
Under the circumstances described, there are no gift tax implications related to the gift of the insurance
policy. Lonnie's nephew received a check in the amount of $5,000,000 from the insurance company.
What is the estate tax due with respect to Lonnie's death?
A. $400,000
B. $2,400,000
C. $4,517,800
D. $2,517,800
E. None of the other answers is correct
Q7. Early in 2015, Mythos was diagnosed with a very fast-acting terminal illness. At the time of his
diagnosis, his gross estate was valued at $10,430,000. Wanting to do some deathbed tax planning, he
made gifts that totaled $8,570,000 (taxable gifts, reduced by 10 annual exclusions, was $8,430,000),
resulting in a gift tax liability of $1,200,000. This large deathbed gift left Mythos with an estate valued at
$1,860,000 at his death. What is Mythos' gross estate?
A. $1,860,000
B. $0
C. $10,430,000
D. $3,060,000
E. None of the other answers is correct
Q8. John died in 2015 with a taxable estate worth $6.5 mil. In computing his estate tax liability, John's
executor (his brother) computed the tax as follows:
Taxable estate $6,500,000
Less, exemption amount 5.000, 000
Tax base $1,500,000
Tax on $1,500,000 $ 555,800
If $555,800 is not the correct estate tax, what is John's estate tax liability for 2015?
A. $428,000 is John's correct estate tax for 2015.
B. $374,500 is John's correct estate tax for 2015.
C. None of the other answers is correct.
D. $2,545,800 is John's correct estate tax for 2015.
E. $555,800 is John's correct estate tax for 2015.