2015 -- H 5209

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TAXATION - ESTATE AND TRANSFER TAXES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ucci, Winfield, Costantino, Marshall, and Corvese

     Date Introduced: January 21, 2015

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 44-22-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-22 entitled "Estate

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and Transfer Taxes - Liability and Computation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     44-22-1.1. Tax on net estate of decedent. -- (a) (1) For decedents whose death occurs on

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or after January 1, 1992, but prior to January 1, 2002, a tax is imposed upon the transfer of the net

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estate of every resident or nonresident decedent as a tax upon the right to transfer. The tax is a

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sum equal to the maximum credit for state death taxes allowed by 26 U.S.C. § 2011.

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      (2) For decedents whose death occurs on or after January 1, 2002, but prior to January 1,

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2010 a tax is imposed upon the transfer of the net estate of every resident or nonresident decedent

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as a tax upon the right to transfer. The tax is a sum equal to the maximum credit for state death

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taxes allowed by 26 U.S.C. § 2011 as it was in effect as of January 1, 2001; provided, however,

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that the tax shall be imposed only if the net taxable estate shall exceed six hundred seventy-five

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thousand dollars ($675,000). Any scheduled increase in the unified credit provided in 26 U.S.C. §

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2010 in effect on January 1, 2001, or thereafter, shall not apply.

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      (3) For decedents whose death occurs on or after January 1, 2010, and prior to January 1,

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2015 a tax is imposed upon the transfer of the net estate of every resident or nonresident decedent

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as a tax upon the right to transfer. The tax is a sum equal to the maximum credit for state death

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taxes allowed by 26 U.S.C. § 2011 as it was in effect as of January 1, 2001; provided, however,

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that the tax shall be imposed only if the net taxable estate shall exceed eight hundred and fifty

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thousand dollars ($850,000); provided, further, beginning on January 1, 2011 and each January 1

 

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thereafter until January 1, 2015, said amount shall be adjusted by the percentage of increase in the

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Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the United States

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Department of Labor Statistics determined as of September 30 of the prior calendar year; said

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adjustment shall be compounded annually and shall be rounded up to the nearest five dollar

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($5.00) increment. Any scheduled increase in the unified credit provided in 26 U.S.C. § 2010 in

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effect on January 1, 2003, or thereafter, shall not apply.

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      (4) For decedents whose death occurs on or after January 1, 2015, a tax is imposed upon

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the transfer of the net estate of every resident or nonresident decedent as a tax upon the right to

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transfer. The tax is a sum equal to the maximum credit for state death taxes allowed by 26 U.S.C.

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Section 2011, as it was in effect as of January 1, 2001; provided, however, that a Rhode Island

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credit shall be allowed against any tax so determined in the amount of sixty-four thousand four

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hundred ($64,400). Any scheduled increase in the unified credit provided in 26 U.S.C. Section

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2010 in effect on January 1, 2003, or thereafter, shall not apply; provided, further, beginning on

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January 1, 2016 and each January 1 thereafter, said Rhode Island credit amount under this section

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shall be adjusted by the percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban

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Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the United States Department of Labor Statistics determined

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as of September 30 of the prior calendar year; said adjustment shall be compounded annually and

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shall be rounded up to the nearest five dollar ($5.00) increment.

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      (4) For decedents whose death occurs on or after the effective date of this act, a tax is

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imposed upon the transfer of the estate of every resident or nonresident decedent as a tax upon the

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right to transfer. The tax is a sum equal to the maximum credit for state death taxes allowed by

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the applicable federal revenue act for the transfer of the taxable estate of any decedent, which

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exemption for decedents dying in 2015 is set at five million three hundred and forty thousand

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dollars ($5,340,000).

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     (b) If the decedent's estate contains property having a tax situs not within the state, then

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the tax determined by this section is reduced to an amount determined by multiplying the tax by a

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fraction whose numerator is the gross estate excluding all property having a tax situs not within

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the state at the decedent's death and whose denominator is the gross estate. In determining the

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fraction, no deductions are considered and the gross estate is not reduced by a mortgage or other

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indebtedness for which the decedent's estate is not liable.

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      (c) (1) The terms "gross taxable estate", "federal gross estate" or "net taxable estate" used

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in this chapter or chapter 23 of this title has the same meaning as when used in a comparable

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context in the laws of the United States, unless a different meaning is clearly required by the

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provisions of this chapter or chapter 23 of this title. Any reference in this chapter or chapter 23 of

 

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this title to the Internal Revenue Code or other laws of the United States means the Internal

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Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.

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      (2) For decedents whose death occurs on or after January 1, 2002, the terms "gross

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taxable estate" "federal gross estate" or "net taxable estate" used in this chapter or chapter 23 of

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this title has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the laws of the United

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States, unless a different meaning is clearly required by the provisions of this chapter or chapter

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23 of this title. Any reference in this chapter or chapter 23 of this title to the Internal Revenue

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Code or other laws of the United States means the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. § 1

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et seq., as they were in effect as of January 1, 2001, unless otherwise provided.

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      (d) All values are as finally determined for federal estate tax purposes.

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      (e) Property has a tax situs within the state of Rhode Island:

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      (1) If it is real estate or tangible personal property and has actual situs within the state of

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Rhode Island; or

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      (2) If it is intangible personal property and the decedent was a resident.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TAXATION - ESTATE AND TRANSFER TAXES

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     This act would provide that estates in Rhode Island be taxed at a rate equal to the federal

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revenue act for estate, inheritance, and succession taxes.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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