Private Letter Ruling 201628011
Decedent’s surviving spouse was not a U.S. citizen, so to secure the marital deduction from the federal estate tax his will created a Qualified Domestic Trust (QDOT) for her lifetime benefit. Some time later, the surviving spouse became a U.S. citizen, but she didn’t mention this development to the QDOT trustee. Under §2056A(b)(12) and §20.2056A-10(a)(1) and (2) of the Estate Tax Regulations, a QDOT is no longer subject to the estate tax imposed under §2056A(b) if the surviving spouse becomes a citizen of the United States, and the spouse was a resident of the United States at all times after the death of the decedent and before becoming a United States citizen, and the U.S. trustee of the qualified domestic trust notifies the Internal Revenue Service and certifies in writing that the surviving spouse has become a United States citizen. Notice is to be made by filing a final Form 706-QDT on or before April 15 of the calendar year following the year that the surviving spouse becomes a citizen, unless an extension of time of up to six months for filing is granted under §6081. The trustee did not timely file the final Form 706-QDT.
Now that the Trustee knows, he has asked the IRS for an extension of time to file the Form. As granting the extension of time will not prejudice the interests of the government, the extension was granted.
(August 2016)
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