Typically, assets you place in trust for your beneficiaries are eligible for a step-up in basis if the trust is revocable, and therefore considered part of your taxable estate. But with an irrevocable trust (which exists outside of your estate), trust assets do not receive a step-up in tax basis.
Examples of Assets That Do NOT Step-Up in Basis
Individual retirement accounts, including IRAs and Roth IRAs. 401(k), 403(b), 457 employer-sponsored retirement plans and pensions. Real estate that was gifted prior to inheritance. Tax-deferred annuities.
Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the assets of the marital trust will receive a step-up in tax basis and the surviving spouse's applicable estate tax exclusion (the basic exclusion plus the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount) will minimize or eliminate estate taxes.
The rule is a tax exemption that lets you use a trust to transfer appreciated assets to the trust's beneficiaries without paying the capital gains tax. Your “basis” in an asset is the price you paid for the asset. A “step-up” in basis is when the IRS lets you adjust the basis of the asset to its current value.
For estates with assets that have tremendous appreciation, a Joint-Exempt Step-Up Trust (JEST) or an Estate Trust could allow surviving spouses to sell assets while avoiding capital gains.
Any appreciation in the hands of the inheritor is taxable when sold. However, if the executor of a person's estate files an estate tax return, they may be able to elect to use an alternate valuation date of 6 months after the date of death to value the estate.
Irrevocable Trusts
The trust assets will carry over the grantor's adjusted basis, rather than get a step-up at death. Assets held in an irrevocable trust that has its own tax identification number (i.e., nongrantor trust status) do not receive a new basis when the grantor dies.
This trust is irrevocable, meaning it cannot be changed once established. Marital trusts can provide many benefits like asset protection and estate tax deferral or elimination. However, there are also some drawbacks, such as the cost of setting up the trust and the hassle of transferring assets into it.
Step-up in basis has a special application for residents of community property states such as California. There is what we call the double step-up in basis that may apply to your situation. When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse receives a step-up in cost basis on the asset.
Not All Assets Receive a Step-Up in Basis
Not all assets are eligible to receive a new basis when someone dies. For example, assets owned inside an IRA, 401(k), and other retirement accounts do not receive a step-up.
But when gains are inherited, the loophole zeroes out the gain for tax purposes. As a result, an investment sale that would create a taxable gain for the original owner is tax-free for the inheritor. Example: an investor buys 100 shares of stock for $200. Ten years later, the stock is worth $500.
(e) investment properties. Financial assets, and inventories that are produced over a short period of time, are not qualifying assets. Assets that are ready for their intended use or sale when acquired are not qualifying assets.”
Outright - Outright distributions make Trust asset distribution easy and tend to have nominal fees. In this case, assets are simply given without any restrictions to the beneficiaries upon the death of the Trust creator (once all the estate's debts and taxes are paid).
Under the new rule, an asset must be included in the grantor's taxable estate at the time of their death to qualify for a step-up basis. Since assets in irrevocable trusts are generally not part of the grantor's estate, they may no longer benefit from this tax-saving provision.
Assets in a bypass trust do not receive a step-up in basis. A bypass trust is created to permit a decedent's surviving spouse to access trust funds as needed during the spouse's continuing lifetime but without causing the trusts assets to be subject to estate taxes on the spouse's subsequent demise.
For example, Gargiulo and Ertug (2006) identify what they call the 'dark side' of trust as occurring when the trustor strays beyond a critical threshold of confidence such that her trust in another becomes inappropriate and ill-judged.
Family trusts can be used for a variety of purposes, including avoiding probate, providing for minor or incapacitated family members, and managing family wealth. Marital trusts, on the other hand, are often used to care for the surviving spouse and take advantage of the marital deduction for estate tax purposes.
Upon the death of the trust grantor, trust assets pass on to the surviving spouse tax-free. This means the IRS won't level federal estate taxes on those assets. So neither spouse owes taxes on the transfer.
Any assets that were transferred to an irrevocable grantor trust will not receive a step-up in basis upon the client's death. The effect of this ruling leads to potentially significant capital gains tax for trust assets that have appreciated significantly since being transferred to the trust.
They can be sold, but these transactions are typically more complicated than traditional home sales. Selling a home in California will take time. Even if you have a motivated buyer, the transaction still might not be completed for several weeks or months after an offer has been accepted.
A common question, and one where many taxpayers often make mistakes, is whether it is better to receive a home as a gift or as an inheritance. Generally, from a tax perspective, it is more advantageous to inherit a home rather than receive it as a gift before the owner's death.
The stepped-up basis loophole allows someone to pass down assets without triggering a tax event, which can save estates considerable money. It does, however, come with an element of risk. If the value of this asset declines, the estate might lose more money to the market than the IRS would take.
When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse receives a full step-up in basis on the entire property, not just the half that belonged to the deceased. So, what does this "step-up" mean? The basis of an asset is its original cost for tax purposes.