Estate and Gift Tax Law

Estate And Gift Tax Law

Word Gift Tax composed of wooden letters.

The 2010 Tax Relief Act revives the estate tax for decedents dying after December 31, 2009, but at a significantly higher applicable exclusion amount and lower tax rate than had been scheduled under EGTRRA. The maximum estate tax rate is 35 percent with an applicable exclusion amount of $5 million. This new estate tax regime, however, is itself temporary and is scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2012.

Together with the revival of the estate tax, the 2010 Tax Relief Act eliminates the modified carryover basis rules and replaces them with the stepped up basis rules that had applied until 2010. Property with a stepped-up basis receives a basis equal to the property's fair market value on the date of the decedent's death (or on an alternate valuation date).

Under a modified carryover basis that EGTRRA had put into place for 2010, the executor may increase the basis of estate property only by a total of $1.3 million, with other estate property taking a carryover basis equal to the lesser of the decedent's basis or the fair market value of the property on the decedent's death. An executor may increase the basis of assets passing to a surviving spouse by an additional $3 million (for a total of $4.3 million).

Option for 2010

The 2010 Tax Relief Act gives estates of decedents dying after December 31, 2009, and before January 1, 2011, the option to elect not to come under the revived estate tax. The new law gives those estates the option to elect to apply (1) the estate tax based on the new 35 percent top rate and $5 million applicable exclusion amount, with stepped-up basis or (2) no estate tax and modified carryover basis rules under EGTRRA. Any election would be revocable only with the consent of the IRS.

Portability

The 2010 Tax Relief Act provides for "portability" between spouses of the estate tax applicable exclusion amount. Generally, portability would allow a surviving spouse to elect to take advantage of the unused portion of the estate tax applicable exclusion amount of his or her predeceased spouse, thereby providing the surviving spouse with a larger exclusion amount.

A "deceased spousal unused exclusion amount" would be available to the surviving spouse only if an election is made on a timely filed estate tax return. Portability would be available to the estates of decedents dying after December 31, 2010. Under the Tax Relief Act of 2010, the portability election will sunset on January 1, 2013.

State Death Tax Credit/Deduction

EGTRRA repealed the state death tax credit for decedents dying after 2004 and replaced the credit with a deduction. Under EGTRRA's sunset provisions, the credit, as it existed before 2002, is revived for decedents dying after 2010. The 2010 Tax Relief Act extends the deduction through 2012.

Gift Taxes

For gifts made in 2010, the 2010 Tax Relief Act provides that gift tax is computed using a rate schedule having a top tax rate of 35 percent and an applicable exclusion amount of $1 million. For gifts made after 2010, the gift tax is reunified with the estate tax with a top gift tax rate of 35 percent and an applicable exclusion amount of $5 million.

Donors of lifetime gifts continue to be able to apply the annual gift tax exclusion before having to use part of their applicable exclusion amount. For 2010 and 2011, that inflation-adjusted annual exclusion amount is $13,000 per donee (married couples may continue to "split" their gift and may make combined gifts of $26,000 to each donee).

GST Tax

The 2010 Tax Relief Act provides a $5 million exemption amount for 2010 (equal to the applicable exclusion amount for estate tax purposes) with a GST tax rate of zero percent for 2010. For transfers made after 2010, the GST tax rate would be equal to the highest estate and gift tax rate in effect for the year (35 percent for 2011 and 2012). The 2010 Tax Relief Act also extends certain technical provisions under EGTRRA affecting the GST tax.