Surgent's Successfully Completing an Estate Tax Return -- Form 706

Overview

Since the early 2000s, the estate tax burden on taxpayers has gradually decreased along with the number of practitioners specializing in the field. Nevertheless, some of your most wealthy clients will owe estate tax and this issue will eventually be thrust upon you. Finding an affordable, competent specialist who you trust to work with you and your client may be difficult. Learning the basics of the tax and how to complete the form will give you confidence to help your clients navigate that difficult time.

Prerequisites

Basic understanding of federal income and transfer taxes

Objectives

• Understand how to navigate and successfully complete a simple federal estate tax return

Highlights

• Changes to the IRS Form 706
• How to successfully navigate the form
• The ins and outs of the “portability” rules, including how the rules actually work using common examples
• Income tax consequences
• How to avoid malpractice traps
• Overlooked GST issues