• Estate planning is difficult enough without having to think about taxes as well, but they are important and must be considered. By taking care of the financial details now, you can ease the burden on your loved ones. This not only protects them from unexpected consequences but also eases their emotional stress during difficult times.
• Death is an unfortunate but natural topic that we all must face. It can be helpful, however, to understand what happens if a deceased person owes taxes. By learning how to handle outstanding taxes after losing a loved one, you can avoid any unwanted surprises in the future. This article will help explain how to file taxes on behalf of a deceased person and give you some tips on preparing your Estate for the future.
• The IRS is allowed to collect any taxes that a person owes for up to ten years after their death. The Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED) is the legal limit of how long a creditor can try and collect a debt. In some cases, the IRS can ask for an extension.
• The individual responsible for the estate, or someone authorized by them, will need to calculate all yearly income before the death and file the corresponding tax return. The administrator will be in charge of gathering all financial information related to the deceased. They can request past IRS transcripts using Form 4506-T if needed.
• The typical taxes for a deceased person can be filed using Form 1040. However, if the Estate earned more than $600 before being distributed to heirs, an income tax return must be filed accordingly.
• The Estate Plan usually designates who will pay the taxes for a deceased person. The individual responsible for handling the taxes after someone passes away will have access to accounts and information required to take care of any unpaid taxes. If necessary, they may also process refunds. This responsibility can be fulfilled in a few different ways.
• If you are the administrator of an estate, it is your responsibility to pay the deceased person's taxes, manage expenses, close accounts, and distribute inheritances.
• The Appointed Legal Representative is the person who managed the tax affairs of the deceased individual. The Appointed Legal Representative will also have access to financial information and be able to take care of any taxes that may come up. This could potentially be somebody like an Estate Planning lawyer or a family attorney.
• If the deceased was married when they died, their spouse might also need to file taxes. Any tax paperwork must have a note if you were joint filers for the year of death or filed jointly for the year before death (if taxes weren't filed until after death occurred).
• If the deceased did not have an Estate Plan, spouse, or appointed legal representative at the time of death, the estate will likely fall on a loved one or Next of Kin. This person must identify themselves as a personal representative when filing any documents with the IRS.
Creditors cannot make the family or beneficiaries pay for the deceased's debts; by law, they shouldn't treat them as such. Additionally, retirement savings, life insurance income, and money are put into some types of trusts that are designated as beneficiaries in paying the debts of a deceased person is not required since these funds go directly to the beneficiary and don't pass through Probate.
Please keep the following exceptions in mind when dealing with the debt of a deceased person: In community property states (e.g., California), the surviving spouse may be held liable for some of the outstanding debt. Additionally, some states might require medical debt to be paid off by the surviving spouse. Lastly, if any debts had a cosigner, that individual will need to pay those debts.
• The Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED) is the timeframe during which a tax assessment can be enforced. You can find the CSED by going to Section 19 in the Internal Revenue Manual (IRM). The RRA 98 covers the procedures of CSED under section 6502.
• The IRS has a CSED, or expiration date, for every tax assessment after which they can no longer collect the taxes. The government's power to collect an assessed liability expires ten years after the assessment date according to Internal
Revenue Code section 6502. In other words: Once the collection statute expires, outstanding taxes cannot be legally forced from a taxpayer.
A numb of the statute of limitations may be extended by several events or the taxpayer's
response.
• The taxpayer can extend the collection statute of limitations by responding with any of the following: bankruptcy, application for a Taxpayer Assistance Order (TAO), an offer-in-compromise, voluntary waiver of the statute of limitations, and/or a collection due process appeal. The waiver, if signed in agreement with an installment request from the IRS, will only add five years maximum to CSED.
• When someone files for bankruptcy, the collection statute expiration date (CSED) is typically suspended due to the automatic stay. Although the suspension of CSED under IRC 6503 might no longer apply, there's still a possibility that the CSED will be suspended as long as most of the debtor’s assets are managed by the bankruptcy court according to IRC 6503.
• The CSED is enforced for six months after the filing of bankruptcy, or until discharge or dismissal. This includes non-dischargeable tax liabilities; however, debts successfully discharged in bankruptcy are not included under this extension.
• The debt collection process is halted from the date you submit an Offer in Compromise (OIC) until your offer is accepted, rejected, or withdrawn. If your Offer in Compromise is rejected, the collection suspension continues for 30 additional days. If you appeal the rejection, collections are paused during the Appeals process as well.
• If a taxpayer lives outside of the U.S. for more than six months in a row, they won't have to pay any taxes that might be owed during that time according to IRC 6503. The Government thus has a chance to tax the taxpayer after they return home. The CSED can be suspended for an extended period in some cases.
The final tax return for a deceased person is filed by the spouse or legal representative of the deceased, who will also note the death on the form. The IRS requires no other notification of the death.
• The final tax return is typically filed by the representative named in the person's will or appointed by a court. If the individual died without appointing a representative or leaving a spouse, then a personal representative will file
the return on their behalf.
Things to know about filing your final return
• Many people find it difficult to decide what to do with their estate and how to minimize taxes, so they question whether or not professional help is necessary. Several factors contribute to this answer, such as the size and complexity of your estate, as well as your understanding of relevant tax codes and laws. If any of these scenarios apply to you, then it's best to seek expert help from a professional. several own personal
• If you want to ensure that your estate is handled properly and in a way that reduces the tax burden on your heirs, you may want to consult with an experienced tax attorney or accountant. Even though your estate might be small and uncomplicated, it's better to err on the side of caution by meeting with a professional. The choice of whether or not to get help from someone else is personal, so take some time to think about all your options before coming to a decision.