Donna Died on June 1 of the Current Year

question 104

Essay

Donna died on June 1 of the current year. The executor considers the following information when preparing her estate tax return:
• In 1997, Donna transfers title to her personal residence to her son. The residence is worth $60,000 on the transfer date. Donna continued to live alone in the residence until her death. She did not pay any rent. At her death, the residence is worth $100,000.
• In 1998, Donna created an irrevocable trust and funded it with $300,000 of assets. Donna names a bank as trustee. According to the trust agreement, all the trust income is to be paid out annually for 25 years. The trustee, however, is to decide how much income to pay each year to Donna's son and daughter. Upon termination of the trust, the assets are to be distributed equally among her two children or their estates. The trust's assets are worth $320,000 when Donna dies.
• In 1998, Donna created a revocable trust with a bank named as trustee. She named her grandchild Joe as the beneficiary for life. Upon Joe's death, the property is to be distributed equally among Joe's descendants. The trust assets are worth $300,000 when Donna dies. How much would be included in Donna's gross estate?

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Definitions:

Equity Method

An accounting technique used to record investments in associate companies, recognizing the investor's share of the investee's profits or losses.

Investee's Net Income

The portion of profit or income earned by a company in which another company has invested.

Periodic Net Income

The net income calculated at specific intervals, such as monthly or quarterly, reflecting the profitability of a company during that time period.

Dividend Revenue

Income earned from an investment in the form of dividends, typically from holding shares of another company.