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

Contract providing income payments beginning when the named contingency occurs. For example, upon the death of one spouse (the contingency), a surviving spouse will begin to receive monthly ...

Use of a life insurance policy dividend by the owner of a participating policy. Here the policy dividend is left with the insurance company to accumulate at a guaranteed minimum interest ...

Insurance policies covering various business risks. ...

Same as term Contract Holder: in insurance, individual with rightful possession of an insurance policy, usually the policyowner. ...

Business owned by stockholders, as contrasted to a mutual insurance company, which is owned by its policyholders. Many major life insurers are mutual companies whereas some leading ...

Coverage on jewelry and precious stones on an all risks basis at any location subject to exclusions of wear and tear, war, and nuclear disaster. Each item must be specifically listed in the ...

Same as term Additional Insured: individual added to a life insurance policy other than the insured named in the policy. For example, an insured father can have a dependent son and daughter ...

Coverage giving income benefits to surviving family member (s) if one member should die. These include the family income policy, family income rider, family maintenance policy, and the ...

Policy providing businesses with coverage for negligence based civil liability in: (1) Bodily injury and property damage liability, on an occurrence basis, resulting from the ownership, ...

Popular Insurance Questions