Category Archives: Trusts

Charitable Remainder Trusts

Extremely useful in estate planning, charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) provide for specified distributions at least annually to one or more beneficiaries for life or for a term of years, with an irrevocable remainder interest passing to a designated charity. The … Continue reading

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Avoiding Inclusion of Life Insurance Proceeds in Estate

IRC Sec. 2042 provides that all policies of insurance received by or “for the benefit of” the estate are included in the decedent’s gross estate. Proceeds paid to beneficiaries are also includible if the decedent assigned the policy but possessed … Continue reading

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Marital Deduction Trusts

Property passing by bequest outright to a surviving spouse qualifies for the unlimited marital deduction. Property placed in trust for the surviving spouse may, depending upon the trust language, also qualify for the marital deduction. However, Code Sec. 2056(b) provides that a bequest to a surviving spouse will not qualify for the deduction where the interest passing to the surviving spouse will “terminate or fail.” Terminable interests are generally those which enable a person other than the surviving spouse to possess or enjoy any part of the property after a lapse of time or the occurrence of an event, such as the surviving spouse’s remarriage. Continue reading

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Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs)

Life insurance proceeds are excludible from beneficiaries’ income under §101, provided the policy had not been transferred for valuable consideration. Proceeds from policies transferred in trust will also be excluded from the insured’s gross estate provided the insured (i) retained … Continue reading

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Qualified Personal Residence

IRC §2702 provides that an interest transferred in trust to or for the benefit of a family member is treated as a gift of the entire interest, even if the transferor retains a partial interest. In such case, the taxable … Continue reading

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