Karen Died on May 5 of the Current Year

question 55

Essay

Karen died on May 5 of the current year. Her executor elects date-of-death valuation. Karen's gross estate possibly includes the following items:
• Joint checking account (with her husband), which has a balance of $10,000. Her husband did not contribute to the account.
• Joint savings account (with her daughter), which has a balance of $50,000. Her daughter did not contribute to the account.
• Life insurance policy on the life of Karen, having a face value of $400,000. The cost of a comparable policy immediately before Karen's death is $150,000. Karen's estate is the beneficiary.
• Life insurance policy on the life of Karen's daughter, having a face value of $100,000 with an interpolated terminal reserve immediately before Karen's death of $30,000.
Unexpired premiums are $5,000. Karen is the beneficiary. How much, if any, of these items are included in Karen's estate?

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Definitions:

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overestimate personality or dispositional factors and underestimate situational influences when explaining the behavior of others.

Slacking Off

The act of reducing effort or avoiding work altogether.

Cognitive Dissonance

The psychological distress felt when an individual has two or more opposing beliefs, ideas, or values at the same moment.

Attribution Theory

The theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition.