Question
Required: Please complete the Estate tax return for Clark Griswold based upon the facts presented below. If required information is missing, use reasonable assumptions to
Required:
Please complete the Estate tax return for Clark Griswold based upon the facts presented below. If required information is missing, use reasonable assumptions to fill in the gaps. Include an Assumption and Calculations page at the end of the return.
Facts:
Clark Griswold (SSN 000-00-0001) is a wealthy engineer and inventor who retired to his residence in Fort Collins (Larimer County), Colorado. Clark is married to Ellen (SSN 000-00- 0002) and they have two adult children, Russell and Audrey. Clark passed away on March 22 of this year at the age of 60, and his executor, Frank Shirley, a CPA (SSN 005-00-0000), has hired you to calculate the estate tax and prepare a draft of the 2022 estate tax return (pages 13 of Form 706 with no supplemental schedules). Clarks residence (domicile) has been in Colorado since 1995, and the estate is being administered through the Larimer County Probate Court.
Frank has inventoried Clarks assets and has listed the value of his assets below. The auto, residence, and checking account were owned jointly (with the right of survivorship) with his wife. Clark also owned a whole life insurance policy with a cash surrender value of $50,000. Ellen and Clarks estate were listed as beneficiaries on the insurance policy, with Ellen receiving $1 million and the estate receiving the remainder of the proceeds. The Ajax common stock, the real estate, and the patent were all owned by Clark rather than joint ownership. Frank also noted that the real estate is subject to an $800,000 mortgage. At his death Clark also owed $1,500 on his credit card.
Property | Value | Adjusted Basis |
Auto | $ 20,000 | $55,000 |
Personal effects | 75,000 | 110,000 |
Checking account | 250,000 | 250,000 |
28,800 shares of Ajax common stock | 7,200,000 | 270,000 |
Residence | 6,800,000 | 480,000 |
Life insurance | 6,000,000 | 50,000 |
Real estate | 3,500,000 | 2,100,000 |
Patent | 8,500,000 | 100,000 |
Clarks will instructs Frank to distribute Clarks property as follows: Ellen inherits Clarks personal effects, Russell inherits the patent, and Audrey inherits 20,000 shares of the Ajax stock (publicly traded) and the real estate. The will also instructs Frank to distribute 1,000 shares of theAjax stock to State University (an educational institution). The remaining shares of Ajax are to be sold, and after paying Clarks personal debts, the residual of the estate (if any) is divided equally between Russell and Audrey. The estate paid Clarks personal debts (credit card debt) and $4,300 of funeral expenses associated with Clarks burial. Finally, the estate paid Frank $27,000 in executors fees associated with the administration of Clarks estate. The executor does not elect to use the alternate valuation date (AVD).
Clarks tax records indicate that in 2008 Clark made a $1 million taxable gift to his children. Clark filed a timely gift tax return (Form 709) and paid no gift taxes.
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