Form 1041 Reporting of Pecuniary Property-in-Kind Distributions: Tax Impact on Trusts and Estates

Description

A pecuniary bequest is defined as a grant of a specified sum of money from a trust or estate. In its simplest form, a pecuniary bequest consists of a distribution of an amount of cash or a specific asset designated in the trust or estate document. Payment of a pecuniary bequest represents an exception to the general rule that trust or estate distributions carry out estate income to the beneficiary to the extent of DNI.

However, when assets have to be sold to meet the pecuniary amount, or when the amount is specified as a formula, this can create significant tax issues for the trust. When an executor or trustee substitutes an asset for a property named in a will or trust, the income does not carry out to the beneficiary, and the gain is recognized at the fiduciary level. Similarly, in the case of formula pecuniary bequests, the language of the trust document or will determines the tax reporting treatment.

Formula pecuniary bequests also affect GST tax consequences in funding trusts and distributions to beneficiaries. As the federal estate tax exemption has increased substantially so that few U.S. estates are subject to estate taxation, NRA estates, with only a $60,000 U.S. asset exemption, deserve special care with pecuniary bequests being made to beneficiaries, especially ones with foreign beneficiaries.

Fiduciaries may elect to recognize gains on distributions at the estate or trust level with proper reporting. It is critical for tax advisers, trustees and estate administrators to understand the rules and planning opportunities of pecuniary bequests to avoid costly tax results as well as beneficiary challenges.

Our panel will provide tax professionals who advise fiduciaries in trust and estate matters with a practical and comprehensive guide for the tax treatment governing in-kind property pecuniary bequest distributions.