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Assets
Which Are Included in Calculating Federal Estate Tax
Consider
the following types of assets in calculating your client's taxable estate.
Real
estate, including the following:
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Personal
residence, |
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Vacant
land, |
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Vacation
real estate, |
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Business
or farm real estate, |
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Investment
real estate, |
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Real
estate where a relative placed the client's name on the deed
even
though the client doesn't actually consider the property
his/hers, |
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Real
estate the decedent contracted to purchase, or |
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Any
other real estate of any kind in which the client has any
ownership interest. |
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Accounts
in banks, savings and loans, credit unions or any other institutions
including savings, checking, certificates of deposit or any other
type of account, and including any account with the client's name on
it even if the client doesn't really feel that the funds are
his/hers (e.g., a relative's account to which the client's name
was added as joint tenant).
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Stocks,
bonds (including those exempt from federal income tax),
mutual funds, limited partnerships, or investments of any other
kind.
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Notes,
mortgages, land contracts, contracts for deed or deeds of trust, or
any other account receivable showing that a debt is owed to the
client, including debts owed to decedent by family members.
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Business
assets including personal property, work in progress, partnerships,
closely held stock, value of leases or other contracts, or any other
business values.
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Personal
property such as automobiles, household goods, furniture,
appliances, boats, sporting equipment, guns, recreational vehicles
or any other type of vehicle or personal property.
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Collectibles
such as antiques, silver, gold, coin or stamp collections.
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Pension
benefits, IRAs, Keoghs or other retirement plans.
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Life
insurance policies of which the client is the owner, and policies
insuring the client's life even if (s)he is not the owner if the
proceeds are payable to the client's estate or revocable living
trust or if the client has any incidents of ownership in the policy.
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Annuities
of which the client is the owner and which would have continuing
value if the client was deceased.
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Any
interest in trusts over which the client has a right to withdraw
assets or to designate who will receive assets in the event of the
client's death, or any other power of appointment.
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Value
of life insurance proceeds which were transferred within three years
prior to death (I.R.C. § 2035(a)) and gift taxes paid by the
client for gifts made by the client or client's spouse within three
years of death. (I.R.C. § 2035(b))
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Interest,
dividends and other income that is owed to the client but has not
yet been paid.
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Qualified
terminable interest property the client received from a deceased
spouse.
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Claims
the decedent has for refunds, rights, royalties, leaseholds,
judgments and reversionary or remainder interests.
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Interests
or rights retained by the client in property the client transferred,
such as a life estate retained by the client in real estate or
voting rights the client retained in stock. (I.R.C. § 2036) |
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