Instructions for Part 3. Elections by the Executor (Page 2 of Form 706)

Line 1 - Alternate Valuation

Unless you elect at the time you file the return to adopt alternate valuation as authorized by section 2032, you must value all property included in the gross estate on the date of the decedent's death. Alternate valuation cannot be applied to only a part of the property.

You may elect special use valuation (line 2) in addition to alternate valuation.

You may not elect alternate valuation unless the election will decrease both the value of the gross estate and the total net estate and GST taxes due after application of all allowable credits.

You elect alternate valuation by checking Yes on line 1 and filing Form 706. Once made, the election may not be revoked. The election may be made on a late filed Form 706 provided it is not filed later than 1 year after the due date (including extensions).

If you elect alternate valuation, value the property that is included in the gross estate as of the applicable dates as follows:

1. Any property distributed, sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of or separated or passed from the gross estate by any method within 6 months after the decedent's death is valued on the date of distribution, sale, exchange, or other disposition, whichever occurs first. Value this property on the date it ceases to form a part of the gross estate; i.e., on the date the title passes as the result of its sale, exchange, or other disposition.
2. Any property not distributed, sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of within the 6-month period is valued on the date 6 months after the date of the decedent's death.
3. Any property, interest, or estate that is affected by mere lapse of time is valued as of the date of decedent's death or on the date of its distribution, sale, exchange, or other disposition, whichever occurs first. However, you may change the date of death value to account for any change in value that is not due to a mere lapse of time on the date of its distribution, sale, exchange, or other disposition.

The property included in the alternate valuation and valued as of 6 months after the date of the decedent's death, or as of some intermediate date (as described above) is the property included in the gross estate on the date of the decedent's death. Therefore, you must first determine what property constituted the gross estate at the decedent's death.

Interest. Interest accrued to the date of the decedent's death on bonds, notes, and other interest-bearing obligations is property of the gross estate on the date of death and is included in the alternate valuation.

Rent. Rent accrued to the date of the decedent's death on leased real or personal property is property of the gross estate on the date of death and is included in the alternate valuation. Line 9 Worksheet

Dividends. Outstanding dividends that were declared to stockholders of record on or before the date of the decedent's death are considered property of the gross estate on the date of death, and are included in the alternate valuation. Ordinary dividends declared to stockholders of record after the date of the decedent's death are not property of the gross estate on the date of death and are not included in the alternate valuation. However, if dividends are declared to stockholders of record after the date of the decedent's death so that the shares of stock at the later valuation date do not reasonably represent the same property at the date of the decedent's death, include those dividends (except dividends paid from earnings of the corporation after the date of the decedent's death) in the alternate valuation.

As part of each Schedule A through I, you must show:

1. what property is included in the gross estate on the date of the decedent's death;
2. what property was distributed, sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of within the 6-month period after the decedent's death, and the dates of these distributions, etc.

   (These two items should be entered in the Description column of each schedule. Briefly explain the status or disposition governing the alternate valuation date, such as: Not disposed of within 6 months following death, Distributed, Sold, Bond paid on maturity, etc. In this same column, describe each item of principal and includible income);

3. the date of death value, entered in the appropriate value column with items of principal and includible income shown separately; and
4. the alternate value, entered in the appropriate value column with items of principal and includible income shown separately.

   (In the case of any interest or estate, the value of which is affected by lapse of time, such as patents, leaseholds, estates for the life of another, or remainder interests, the value shown under the heading Alternate value must be the adjusted value; i.e., the value as of the date of death with an adjustment reflecting any difference in its value as of the later date not due to lapse of time.)

Distributions, sales, exchanges, and other dispositions of the property within the 6-month period after the decedent's death must be supported by evidence. If the court issued an order of distribution during that period, you must submit a certified copy of the order as part of the evidence. The IRS may require you to submit additional evidence if necessary.

If the alternate valuation method is used, the values of life estates, remainders, and similar interests are figured using the age of the recipient on the date of the decedent's death and the value of the property on the alternate valuation date.

Line 2 - Special Use Valuation of Section 2032A

In general. Under section 2032A, you may elect to value certain farm and closely held business real property at its farm or business use value rather than its fair market value. You may elect both special use valuation and alternate valuation.

To elect this valuation you must check Yes to line 2 and complete and attach Schedule A-1 and its required additional statements. You must file Schedule A-1 and its required attachments with Form 706 for this election to be valid. You may make the election on a late filed return so long as it is the first return filed.

The total value of the property valued under section 2032A may not be decreased from FMV by more than $800,000 for decedents dying in 2001.

Real property may qualify for the section 2032A election if:

1. The decedent was a U.S. citizen or resident at the time of death;
2. The real property is located in the United States;
3. At the decedent's death the real property was used by the decedent or a family member for farming or in a trade or business, or was rented for such use by either the surviving spouse or a lineal descendant of the decedent to a family member on a net cash basis;
4. The real property was acquired from or passed from the decedent to a qualified heir of the decedent;
5. The real property was owned and used in a qualified manner by the decedent or a member of the decedent's family during 5 of the 8 years before the decedent's death;
6. There was material participation by the decedent or a member of the decedent's family during 5 of the 8 years before the decedent's death; and
7. The qualified property meets the following percentage requirements:
   1. At least 50% of the adjusted value of the gross estate must consist of the adjusted value of real or personal property that was being used as a farm or in a closely held business and that was acquired from, or passed from, the decedent to a qualified heir of the decedent, and
   2. At least 25% of the adjusted value of the gross estate must consist of the adjusted value of qualified farm or closely held business real property.

For this purpose, adjusted value is the value of property determined without regard to its special-use value. The value is reduced for unpaid mortgages on the property or any indebtedness against the property, if the full value of the decedent's interest in the property (not reduced by such mortgage or indebtedness) is included in the value of the gross estate. The adjusted value of the qualified real and personal property used in different businesses may be combined to meet the 50% and 25% requirements.

Qualified Real Property

Qualified use. The term qualified use means the use of the property as a farm for farming purposes or the use of property in a trade or business other than farming. Trade or business applies only to the active conduct of a business. It does not apply to passive investment activities or the mere passive rental of property to a person other than a member of the decedent's family. Also, no trade or business is present in the case of activities not engaged in for profit.

Ownership. To qualify as special-use property, the decedent or a member of the decedent's family must have owned and used the property in a qualified use for 5 of the last 8 years before the decedent's death. Ownership may be direct or indirect through a corporation, a partnership, or a trust.

If the ownership is indirect, the business must qualify as a closely held business under section 6166. The ownership, when combined with periods of direct ownership, must meet the requirements of section 6166 on the date of the decedent's death and for a period of time that equals at least 5 of the 8 years preceding death.

If the property was leased by the decedent to a closely held business, it qualifies as long as the business entity to which it was rented was a closely held business with respect to the decedent on the date of the decedent's death and for sufficient time to meet the 5 in 8 years test explained above.

Structures and other real property improvements. Qualified real property includes residential buildings and other structures and real property improvements regularly occupied or used by the owner or lessee of real property (or by the employees of the owner or lessee) to operate the farm or business. A farm residence which the decedent had occupied is considered to have been occupied for the purpose of operating the farm even when a family member and not the decedent was the person materially participating in the operation of the farm.

Qualified real property also includes roads, buildings, and other structures and improvements functionally related to the qualified use.

Elements of value such as mineral rights that are not related to the farm or business use are not eligible for special-use valuation.

Property acquired from the decedent. Property is considered to have been acquired from or to have passed from the decedent if one of the following applies:

• The property is considered to have been acquired from or to have passed from the decedent under section 1014(b) (relating to basis of property acquired from a decedent).
• The property is acquired by any person from the estate.
• The property is acquired by any person from a trust, to the extent the property is includible in the gross estate.

Qualified heir. A person is a qualified heir of property if he or she is a member of the decedent's family and acquired or received the property from the decedent. If a qualified heir disposes of any interest in qualified real property to any member of his or her family, that person will then be treated as the qualified heir with respect to that interest.

The term member of the family includes only:

1. An ancestor (parent, grandparent, etc.) of the individual;
2. The spouse of the individual;
3. The lineal descendant (child, stepchild, grandchild, etc.) of the individual, the individual's spouse, or a parent of the individual; or
4. The spouse, widow, or widower of any lineal descendant described above.

A legally adopted child of an individual is treated as a child of that individual by blood.

Material Participation

To elect special-use valuation, either the decedent or a member of his or her family must have materially participated in the operation of the farm or other business for at least 5 of the 8 years ending on the date of the decedent's death. The existence of material participation is a factual determination, but passively collecting rents, salaries, draws, dividends, or other income from the farm or other business does not constitute material participation. Neither does merely advancing capital and reviewing a crop plan and financial reports each season or business year.

In determining whether the required participation has occurred, disregard brief periods (e.g., 30 days or less) during which there was no material participation, as long as such periods were both preceded and followed by substantial periods (more than 120 days) during which there was uninterrupted material participation.

Retirement or disability. If, on the date of death, the time period for material participation could not be met because the decedent had retired or was disabled, a substitute period may apply. The decedent must have retired on Social Security or been disabled for a continuous period ending with death. A person is disabled for this purpose if he or she was mentally or physically unable to materially participate in the operation of the farm or other business.

The substitute time period for material participation for these decedents is a period totaling at least 5 years out of the 8-year period that ended on the earlier of (1) the date the decedent began receiving social security benefits, or (2) the date the decedent became disabled.

Surviving spouse. A surviving spouse who received qualified real property from the predeceased spouse is considered to have materially participated if he or she was engaged in the active management of the farm or other business. If the surviving spouse died within 8 years of the first spouse's death, you may add the period of material participation of the predeceased spouse to the period of active management by the surviving spouse to determine if the surviving spouse's estate qualifies for special-use valuation. To qualify for this, the property must have been eligible for special-use valuation in the predeceased spouse's estate, though it does not have to have been elected by that estate.

For additional details regarding material participation, see Regulations section 20.2032A-3(e).

Valuation Methods

The primary method of valuing special-use value property that is used for farming purposes is the annual gross cash rental method. If comparable gross cash rentals are not available, you can substitute comparable average annual net share rentals. If neither of these are available, or if you so elect, you can use the method for valuing real property in a closely held business.

Average annual gross cash rental. Generally, the special-use value of property that is used for farming purposes is determined as follows:

1. Subtract the average annual state and local real estate taxes on actual tracts of comparable real property from the average annual gross cash rental for that same comparable property, and
2. Divide the result in 1 by the average annual effective interest rate charged for all new Federal Land Bank loans.

The computation of each average annual amount is based on the 5 most recent calendar years ending before the date of the decedent's death.

Gross cash rental. Generally, gross cash rental is the total amount of cash received in a calendar year for the use of actual tracts of comparable farm real property in the same locality as the property being specially valued. You may not use appraisals or other statements regarding rental value or areawide averages of rentals. You may not use rents that are paid wholly or partly in kind, and the amount of rent may not be based on production. The rental must have resulted from an arm's-length transaction. Also, the amount of rent is not reduced by the amount of any expenses or liabilities associated with the farm operation or the lease.

Comparable property. Comparable property must be situated in the same locality as the specially valued property as determined by generally accepted real property valuation rules. The determination of comparability is based on all the facts and circumstances. It is often necessary to value land in segments where there are different uses or land characteristics included in the specially valued land. The following list contains some of the factors considered in determining comparability.

• Similarity of soil.
• Whether the crops grown would deplete the soil in a similar manner.
• Types of soil conservation techniques that have been practiced on the 2 properties.
• Whether the 2 properties are subject to flooding.
• Slope of the land.
• For livestock operations, the carrying capacity of the land.
• For timbered land, whether the timber is comparable.
• Whether the property as a whole is unified or segmented; if segmented, the availability of the means necessary for movement among the different sections.
• Number, types, and conditions of all buildings and other fixed improvements located on the properties and their location as it affects efficient management, use, and value of the property.
• Availability and type of transportation facilities in terms of costs and of proximity of the properties to local markets.

You must specifically identify on the return the property being used as comparable property. Use the type of descriptions used to list real property on Schedule A.

Effective interest rate. To get the effective annual interest in effect for the year of death and the area in which the property is located, contact the Estate and Gift Tax Territory Manager.

Net share rental. You may use average annual net share rental from comparable land only if there is no comparable land from which average annual gross cash rental can be determined. Net share rental is the difference between the gross value of produce received by the lessor from the comparable land and the cash operating expenses (other than real estate taxes) of growing the produce that, under the lease, are paid by the lessor. The production of the produce must be the business purpose of the farming operation. For this purpose, produce includes livestock.

The gross value of the produce is generally the gross amount received if the produce was disposed of in an arm's-length transaction within the period established by the Department of Agriculture for its price support program. Otherwise, the value is the weighted average price for which the produce sold on the closest national or regional commodities market. The value is figured for the date or dates on which the lessor received (or constructively received) the produce.

Valuing a real property interest in closely held business. Use this method to determine the special-use valuation for qualifying real property used in a trade or business other than farming. You may also use this method for qualifying farm property if there is no comparable land or if you elect to use it. Under this method, the following factors are considered:

• The capitalization of income that the property can be expected to yield for farming or for closely held business purposes over a reasonable period of time with prudent management and traditional cropping patterns for the area, taking into account soil capacity, terrain configuration, and similar factors.
• The capitalization of the fair rental value of the land for farming or for closely held business purposes.
• The assessed land values in a state that provides a differential or use value assessment law for farmland or closely held business.
• Comparable sales of other farm or closely held business land in the same geographical area far enough removed from a metropolitan or resort area so that nonagricultural use is not a significant factor in the sales price.
• Any other factor that fairly values the farm or closely held business value of the property.

Making the Election

Include the words section 2032A valuation in the Description column of any Form 706 schedule if section 2032A property is included in the decedent's gross estate.

An election under section 2032A need not include all the property in an estate that is eligible for special use valuation, but sufficient property to satisfy the threshold requirements of section 2032A(b)(1)(B) must be specially valued under the election.

If joint or undivided interests (e.g., interests as joint tenants or tenants in common) in the same property are received from a decedent by qualified heirs, an election with respect to one heir's joint or undivided interest need not include any other heir's interest in the same property if the electing heir's interest plus other property to be specially valued satisfies the requirements of section 2032A(b)(1)(B).

If successive interests (e.g., life estates and remainder interests) are created by a decedent in otherwise qualified property, an election under section 2032A is available only with respect to that property (or part) in which qualified heirs of the decedent receive all of the successive interests, and such an election must include the interests of all of those heirs.

For example, if a surviving spouse receives a life estate in otherwise qualified property and the spouse's brother receives a remainder interest in fee, no part of the property may be valued pursuant to an election under section 2032A.

Where successive interests in specially valued property are created, remainder interests are treated as being received by qualified heirs only if the remainder interests are not contingent on surviving a nonfamily member or are not subject to divestment in favor of a nonfamily member.

Protective Election

You may make a protective election to specially value qualified real property. Under this election, whether or not you may ultimately use special use valuation depends upon values as finally determined (or agreed to following examination of the return) meeting the requirements of section 2032A.

To make a protective election, check Yes to line 2 and complete Schedule A-1 according to its instructions for Protective Election.

If you make a protective election, you should complete this Form 706 by valuing all property at its fair market value. Do not use special use valuation. Usually, this will result in higher estate and GST tax liabilities than will be ultimately determined if special use valuation is allowed. The protective election does not extend the time to pay the taxes shown on the return. If you wish to extend the time to pay the taxes, you should file Form 4768 in adequate time before the return due date.

If it is found that the estate qualifies for special use valuation based on the values as finally determined (or agreed to following examination of the return), you must file an amended Form 706 (with a complete section 2032A election) within 60 days after the date of this determination. Complete the amended return using special use values under the rules of section 2032A, and complete Schedule A-1 and attach all of the required statements.

Additional information

For definitions and additional information, see section 2032A and the related regulations.

- Continue -

Instructions Index | 2001 Tax Help Archives | Tax Help Archives | Home