THREE-YEAR RULE

Section 2035 of the tax code stating assets given through ownership transfer, or assets that the original owner has relinquished power, are to be stated in the gross value of an individual’s estate if it occurred within three years of his death. If gifted assets failed to meet the necessary requirements, its value is accrued to the estate’s worth at the time of the original owner’s death. As a result, the estate’s value and tax imposed on it increase.