Personal Representative
Under state law, a personal representative is the person appointed by a court to administer an estate. The term includes both executors (appointed when decedent has a will) and administrators (appointed in the absence of a will). A personal representative nominated in a will has no authority over estate assets unless appointed by a court.
Duties of Personal Representative
Duties include collecting all of the decedent’s property, paying any creditors, and distributing assets to beneficiaries. In addition, the representative is responsible for filing various tax returns and seeing that the taxes owed are properly paid.
No Court-Appointed Representative
When
there is no probate and no appointed representative, the IRS will allow a
“person charged with property of the decedent” to file the decedent’s income
tax returns and claim refunds. IRS written guidance does not specify who this
person should be. If there is a surviving spouse, he or she usually files a
joint final Form 1040 and any other required returns. If there is no surviving
spouse, the person who files is commonly:
•
The trustee of the decedent’s revocable trust,
•
The personal representative nominated in the will who would have been appointed
if probate was required, or• A beneficiary receiving non probate assets who undertakes the work. The IRS uses the term “personal representative” to refer to anyone filing for a decedent, whether or not court appointed.
Decedent’s Tax Returns
The
personal representative is responsible for the following returns when required.• Form 1040, Final return for year of death (gross income of a decedent from January 1 until the date of death is reported on the decedent’s final income tax return).
• Form 1041, Income tax returns for the probate estate (required if income greater than $600 is received after death by the decedent’s estate).
• Form 706, Estate tax return (required if decedent’s estate exceeds the estate tax exclusion ($5,120,000 in 2012) or if portability election is made.
• Form 709, Gift tax for year of death (required if the decedent gave more than the annual exclusion ($13,000 for 2012) to any one person in the year of death or failed to file any prior year gift tax returns).
• Returns not filed by decedent for prior years—Form 1040, Form 1040X, Form 709. A personal representative may be personally liable for unpaid tax if he or she distributed assets, the estate is insolvent as a result, and the
personal representative had notice of the tax claim.
Application for Employer
Identification
Number (EIN)An executor should obtain an EIN for the probate estate as soon as possible. The identification number must be included on estate returns, statements, and other documents. The executor can obtain an EIN immediately
by phone at 800-829-4933 or online at: www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html.
Note: The processing time for an EIN application by mail is four weeks.
Notice of Fiduciary Relationship
The
personal representative must notify the IRS of the fiduciary relationship. Form
56 can be used for this purpose. File separate forms for the decedent and
estate. Form 56 can also be used to notify the IRS of a change in fiduciary or
termination of fiduciary relationship.
Prompt Assessment
Form
4810 can be filed to shorten the statute of limitations for tax returns from
three years to 18 months. File Form 4810 separately after the returns are
filed. Prompt assessment can be requested for Forms 1041 andForm 1040, including returns filed by the decedent. Prompt assessment cannot be requested for federal estate tax.
Discharge From Personal Liability
Personal
representatives can request discharge from personal liability for estate, gift,
and income tax after returns are filed. The personal representative is
discharged from personal liability nine months after receipt of
the request by the IRS, unless notified of unpaid tax.
Fees
All
personal representatives must include in their gross income any fees paid to
them from an estate. Generally, a taxpayer is not in the trade or business of
being an executor and will report these fees on Form 1040, line 21.
Income in the Year of Death
Before Death After Death
Final Form 1040 Income received by decedent.
Estate Form 1041
• Income in respect of a decedent (IRD) paid to the probate estate.
• Income paid on probate assets during administration.
• Sale of capital assets by the probate estate.
Beneficiary’s Form 1040
• IRD paid directly to the beneficiary.
• Income paid after death on assets received directly from decedent.
• Sale of capital assets received from decedent.
Report
income actually or constructively received by the decedent before death on the
final Form 1040. Report income received after death on the return of the
recipient.
•
Probate assets on Form 1041.
•
Nonprobate assets on the tax return of the beneficiary, surviving joint tenant,
or successor who received the asset.assets:
• House, bank accounts, and vehicles owned jointly with Kelly.
• Brokerage account in Gene’s name alone.
• Life insurance and 401(k) that name Kelly as beneficiary.
• IRA that names Gene’s son, Emmett, as beneficiary.
• Unpaid wages.
as follows:
• All income received before death is reported on Gene’s final Form 1040.
• After-death earnings on the brokerage account and the wages paid to the estate are reported on Form 1041. If brokerage assets are sold during probate, the sales are reported on the estate’s Form 1041.
• Emmett reports taxable income from the IRA on his Form 1040 in years he receives distributions.
• Kelly reports taxable income on all other assets on her Form 1040 in the year she receives the income
This
article contains general information for taxpayers and should not be relied
upon as the only source of authority. Taxpayers should seek professional tax
advice for more information or contact Advance Tax Relief LLC
Noah Daniels, EA is the President of Advance Tax Relief LLC based in Houston, TX. Noah is very experienced in representing taxpayers before the examinations, collections and appeals divisions of the IRS and various state taxing authorities. Noah has helped hundreds of taxpayers nationwide resolve their tax problems with the IRS saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in back-taxes, penalties and interest and the number keeps rising. He also speaks at various local organizations educating the public on how to handle their IRS tax problems, small business credits and tax compliance issues. For speaking engagements or for tax related questions email noah.daniels@advancetaxrelief.com.
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