Ethan Owned a Vacation Home at the Time of His

question 109

Multiple Choice

Ethan owned a vacation home at the time of his death. Which of the following is a true statement if Ethan was married to Emma and resided in a common-law state at the time of his death?

• A)Ethan can claim a marital deduction for the vacation home if he bequeaths it to Emma.
• B)Ethan cannot claim a marital deduction if he bequeaths a life estate in the vacation home to Emma.
• C)Ethan can claim a marital deduction for half the value of the vacation home if it was owned with Emma in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship.
• D)Ethan can claim a charitable deduction if he bequeaths it to a qualified charity.
• E)All of the choices are true.

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Definitions:

Tort Action

A legal action for civil wrongs that cause harm or loss, leading to legal liability for the person who commits the tort.

Actual Malice

A condition that exists when a person makes a statement with either knowledge of its falsity or reckless disregard for the truth. In a defamation suit, a statement made about a public figure normally must be made with actual malice for liability to be incurred.

Defamation

The act of damaging the reputation of a person or a group through false statements, either spoken (slander) or written (libel).

Public Figure

An individual in the public limelight. Public figures include government officials and politicians, movie stars, well-known businesspersons, and generally anybody who becomes known to the public because of his or her position or activities.