Definition of "Federal estate tax"

Mike Williams real estate agent

Written by

Mike Williamselite badge icon

Keller Williams

Federal tax imposed on the estate of a decedent according to the value of that estate. The first step in the computation of the federal estate tax owed is to determine the value of the decedent's gross estate. This determination can be made by adding the following values of assets owned by the decedent at the time of death:

  1. property owned outright.
  2. gratuitous lifetime transfers, but with the stipulation that the decedent retained the income or control over the income.
  3. gratuitous lifetime transfers subject to the recipient's surviving the decedent.
  4. gratuitous lifetime transfers subject to the decedent's retaining the right to revoke, amend, or alter the gift.
  5. annuities purchased by the decedent that are payable for the life time of the named survivor as well as the annuitant.
  6. property jointly held in such a manner that another party receives the decedent's interest in that property at the decedent's death because of that party's survivor ship.
  7. life insurance in which the decedent retained incidents of ownership.
  8. life insurance that was payable to the decedent's estate.
The second step in the computation of the federal estate tax owed is to subtract allowable deductions (including bequests to charities, bequests to the surviving spouse, funeral expenses, and other administration expenses) from the gross estate. This results in the taxable estate. Adjustable taxable gifts are then added to the taxable estate, resulting in the computational tax base. From the table below, the appropriate tax rate is then applied to the computational tax base, resulting in the tentative (certain credits may still be subtracted) federal estate tax.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Rule that provides four requirements for monitoring the independent agent distribution system: The insurance company must be involved in the training of the independent agent. The ...

Coverage of two or more individuals with the death benefit payable at the last death. Premiums are significantly lower than for policies that insure one person, since the probability of ...

Important means of preventing accidents and injuries. Insurers take corporate safety programs into account when rating workers compensation and other business insurance policies. ...

One named under provisions of the employee retirement income security act of 1974 (erisa) for a terminated pension plan with an unfunded liability for its benefits. ...

Act in which a life insurance company is permitted to transfer the death benefit from the policy to the custodian of a minor beneficiary provided the beneficiary designation has ...

Approach that reflects losses expected. It is a calculation of the pure cost of property or liability insurance protection without loadings for the insurance company's expenses, premium ...

Organization of inland marine insurance underwriters. ...

Coverage if an insured can not collect on property damage or destruction losses from the hired transporter. For example, a truck transporting furniture of the insured is involved in an ...

Expenses and damages incurred as the result of damage to a ship and its cargo and/or of taking direct action to prevent initial or further damage to the ship and its cargo. These expenses ...

Popular Insurance Questions