A federal tax imposed on the transfer of wealth through estates and gifts, calculated based on the value of a decedent's estate and lifetime gifts.
Taxable estate refers to the portion of a deceased person's estate that remains after deducting any allowable marital deductions, charitable contributions, and other adjustments from the adjusted gross estate. This amount is subject to estate taxes.
A Totten Trust, also known as a payable-on-death (POD) account, is a type of trust where the assets are designated for a beneficiary, but the grantor retains control and the right to reclaim the assets. When the grantor dies, the assets pass to the beneficiary, but not until they have been included as part of the grantor's taxable estate.
