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IRS Written Determinations

Free IRS private letter rulings, technical advice memoranda, and Chief Counsel advice with plain-English summaries and the official IRS release on every page.

10,109 determinations and counting · Newest release July 31, 2026
882 determinations Estate-Tax

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PLR

Estate gets extra time to make a late portability election for the surviving spouse

When one spouse dies without using up the full estate-and-gift tax exclusion, the leftover amount (the "deceased spousal unused exclusion," or DSUE) can be transferred to the surviving spouse, but onl…

202233003·August 19, 2022
Approved
PLR

An estate too small to require a return gets 120 days to make a late portability election passing the deceased spouse's unused exclusion to the survivor

When someone dies, any unused portion of their federal estate-and-gift-tax exclusion can be passed to a surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a timely filed estate…

202232014·August 12, 2022
Approved
PLR

An estate too small to require a return gets 120 days to make a late portability election passing the deceased spouse's unused exclusion to the survivor

When someone dies, any unused portion of their federal estate-and-gift-tax exclusion can be passed to a surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a timely filed estate…

202232003·August 12, 2022
Approved
PLR

An estate too small to require a return gets 120 days to make a late portability election passing the deceased spouse's unused exclusion to the survivor

When someone dies, any unused portion of their federal estate-and-gift-tax exclusion can be passed to a surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a timely filed estate…

202232002·August 12, 2022
Approved
PLR

An estate too small to require a return gets 120 days to make a late portability election passing the deceased spouse's unused exclusion to the survivor

When someone dies, any unused portion of their federal estate-and-gift-tax exclusion can be passed to a surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a timely filed estate…

202231012·August 5, 2022
Approved
PLR

9100 relief for an estate to make late QTIP and reverse-QTIP elections its accountant omitted

After a person died, their revocable trust split into a family trust and two marital trusts (an exempt and a non-exempt marital trust) for the surviving spouse. To defer estate tax on the marital trus…

202230007·July 29, 2022
Approved
PLR

9100 relief for a non-filing estate to make a late portability (DSUE) election

When someone dies, any unused portion of their federal estate-and-gift tax exclusion can be passed to their surviving spouse (the "deceased spousal unused exclusion," or DSUE, amount), but only if the…

202230003·July 29, 2022
Approved
PLR

9100 relief for a non-filing estate to make a late portability (DSUE) election

When someone dies, any unused portion of their federal estate-and-gift tax exclusion can be passed to their surviving spouse (the "deceased spousal unused exclusion," or DSUE, amount), but only if the…

202230002·July 29, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late estate-tax portability (DSUE) election

When one spouse dies without using all of their federal estate and gift tax exclusion, the surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) through a "…

202229035·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late estate-tax portability (DSUE) election

When one spouse dies without using all of their federal estate and gift tax exclusion, the surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) through a "…

202229032·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late estate-tax portability (DSUE) election

When one spouse dies without using all of their federal estate and gift tax exclusion, the surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) through a "…

202229029·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late QTIP election after the accountant omitted it from the estate tax return

A married couple's trust split into a Marital Trust and a non-marital (Exempt) Trust when the first spouse died, and the estate planning intended the Marital Trust to qualify as qualified terminable i…

202229028·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late estate-tax portability (DSUE) election

When one spouse dies without using all of their federal estate and gift tax exclusion, the surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) through a "…

202229025·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229023·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229022·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229021·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229020·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229019·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229018·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229017·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229016·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229015·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229014·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229013·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229012·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229011·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202229010·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late estate-tax portability (DSUE) election

When one spouse dies without using all of their federal estate and gift tax exclusion, the surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) through a "…

202229009·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

120-day extension to make a late estate-tax portability (DSUE) election

When one spouse dies without using all of their federal estate and gift tax exclusion, the surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) through a "…

202229007·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Estate gets 120 more days to make a late portability (DSUE) election for the surviving spouse

When someone dies without using up their full estate-and-gift tax exemption, their surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) and add it to their…

202229003·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Estate gets 120 more days to make a late portability (DSUE) election for the surviving spouse

When someone dies without using up their full estate-and-gift tax exemption, their surviving spouse can inherit the leftover amount (the deceased spousal unused exclusion, or DSUE) and add it to their…

202229001·July 22, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228012·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228011·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228010·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228009·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228008·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228007·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228006·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228005·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228004·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

Pre-1942 trust keeps its GST-exempt status through a court construction and modification, and beneficiary disclaimers stay tax-free

An old family trust, created before October 21, 1942 and still irrevocable long before the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax took effect, asked the IRS to bless a set of proposed changes without …

202228003·July 15, 2022
Approved
PLR

IRS grants a late estate 120 extra days to make a portability election so the surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused exclusion

When someone dies, any part of their federal estate-and-gift tax exclusion they did not use can be transferred to a surviving spouse. This transfer is called a "portability" election, and the estate m…

202226005·July 1, 2022
Approved
PLR

IRS grants a late estate 120 extra days to make a portability election so the surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused exclusion

When someone dies, any part of their federal estate-and-gift tax exclusion they did not use can be transferred to a surviving spouse through a "portability" election. The estate makes that election by…

202225002·June 24, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late "portability" election allowed so a surviving spouse can use a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

When someone dies without using up their federal estate-tax exclusion, the unused part (the DSUE amount) can pass to the surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a ti…

202224009·June 17, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late "portability" election allowed so a surviving spouse can use a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

When someone dies without using up their federal estate-tax exclusion, the unused part (the DSUE amount) can pass to the surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a ti…

202224007·June 17, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late "portability" election allowed so a surviving spouse can use a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

When someone dies without using up their federal estate-tax exclusion, the unused part (the DSUE amount) can pass to the surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a ti…

202223015·June 10, 2022
Approved
PLR

Estate gets more time to make a missed QTIP marital-deduction election after the preparer put the property on the wrong schedule

When a person dies, property left in trust for a surviving spouse can qualify for the unlimited estate-tax marital deduction only if the estate makes a "QTIP" election under section 2056(b)(7) on the …

202223010·June 10, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late "portability" election allowed so a surviving spouse can use a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

When someone dies without using up their federal estate-tax exclusion, the unused part (the DSUE amount) can pass to the surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a ti…

202223005·June 10, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late "portability" election allowed so a surviving spouse can use a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

When someone dies without using up their federal estate-tax exclusion, the unused part (the DSUE amount) can pass to the surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a ti…

202223003·June 10, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late "portability" election allowed so a widow(er) can use a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

When someone dies without using up their federal estate-tax exclusion, the unused part (the DSUE amount) can pass to the surviving spouse, but only if the estate makes a "portability" election on a ti…

202223001·June 10, 2022
Approved
PLR

Estate granted more time to make a late portability election for a surviving spouse

An estate whose value did not require it to file a federal estate tax return missed the deadline to make a "portability" election, and the IRS granted it more time. Portability lets a surviving spouse…

202222004·June 3, 2022
Approved
PLR

Estate granted more time to make a late portability election for a surviving spouse

An estate whose value did not require it to file a federal estate tax return missed the deadline to make a "portability" election, and the IRS granted it more time. Portability lets a surviving spouse…

202222003·June 3, 2022
Approved
PLR

Estate granted more time to make a late portability election for a surviving spouse

An estate whose value did not require it to file a federal estate tax return missed the deadline to make a "portability" election, and the IRS granted it more time. Portability lets a surviving spouse…

202222001·June 3, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late portability election granted so a surviving spouse's estate can use the first decedent's unused estate tax exclusion

Portability lets a surviving spouse add their late spouse's unused estate tax exclusion (the DSUE amount) to their own, but only if the deceased spouse's estate makes the election on a timely filed es…

202221001·May 27, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late portability election granted so a surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused estate tax exclusion

Portability lets a surviving spouse add their late spouse's unused estate tax exclusion (the DSUE amount) to their own, but only if the deceased spouse's estate makes the election on a timely filed es…

202220013·May 20, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late portability election granted so a surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused estate tax exclusion

Portability lets a surviving spouse add their late spouse's unused estate tax exclusion (the DSUE amount) to their own, but only if the deceased spouse's estate makes the election on a timely filed es…

202220011·May 20, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late portability election granted so a surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused estate tax exclusion

Portability lets a surviving spouse add their late spouse's unused estate tax exclusion (the DSUE amount) to their own, but only if the deceased spouse's estate makes the election on a timely filed es…

202220010·May 20, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late portability election granted so a surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused estate tax exclusion

Portability lets a surviving spouse add their late spouse's unused estate tax exclusion (the DSUE amount) to their own, but only if the deceased spouse's estate makes the election on a timely filed es…

202220006·May 20, 2022
Approved
PLR

Late portability election granted so a surviving spouse can use the decedent's unused estate tax exclusion

When someone dies, their estate can elect "portability," which lets the surviving spouse add the deceased spouse's unused estate tax exclusion (the DSUE amount) to their own. That election is made by …

202220001·May 20, 2022
Approved
PLR

IRS grants a late estate to make a portability election to preserve a deceased spouse's unused estate-tax exclusion

"Portability" lets a surviving spouse use the unused portion of a deceased spouse's estate-tax exclusion (the DSUE amount), but only if the deceased spouse's estate makes the election on a timely file…

202219009·May 13, 2022
Approved

What these documents are

  • Private letter rulings (PLRs): A taxpayer asked the IRS to rule on a planned transaction before doing it. The ruling shows exactly how the IRS applied the Code to those facts.
  • Technical advice memoranda (TAMs): The IRS National Office answering a question raised during an audit or other proceeding.
  • Chief Counsel advice (CCAs): IRS lawyers advising their own field staff on how to apply the law.
  • Determination letters: Rulings on exempt-organization matters, such as whether an organization qualifies under § 501(c)(3) or a foundation's grant procedures pass § 4945.
  • Not precedent, still useful: Under 26 U.S.C. § 6110(k)(3) none of these can be cited as precedent. They remain the best public window into how the IRS actually rules on facts like yours, and practitioners read them for exactly that.