Final Regulations Confirm: No "Clawback" for Gifts Made Under Expanded Transfer Tax Exemption, Dec. 5, 2019

The 2017 tax reform legislation significantly expanded the transfer tax exemption, which applies to exempt both lifetime and postmortem gifts from transfer taxes. However, the new provision is set to sunset after 2025, leading many taxpayers to question whether large gifts made while the provision is effective would be exempt once the exemption reverts to the much lower $5 million (as adjusted for inflation) limit. In general, the exemption applies first to gifts made during life and then to the individual’s remaining estate. Under the final regulations, estates are allowed to compute the available estate tax credit using the higher of the basic exclusion amount that applied to gifts made during life or the basic exclusion amount applicable on the date of death. Essentially, this rule provides certainty that taxpayers can make large gifts now (i.e., gifts that exceed the $5 million exemption) without generating transfer tax liability if the exemption amount is reduced in the future. For more information on the estate tax, visit Tax Facts Online.