Surgent's Post-death Planning and Estate Administration Strategies

Overview

After a client’s death, financial and tax outcomes are shaped not only by the estate plan itself, but also by decisions made during the administration process. Executors and advisors must evaluate liquidity needs, asset disposition, valuation choices, and available tax elections, all while coordinating estate, income, and transfer tax considerations. This course introduces the practical and strategic issues that arise after death and explains how post-mortem decisions can materially affect taxes, cash flow, and beneficiary outcomes.

Highlights

Identifying short-term and long-term cash needs of the estate
Evaluating funding sources for expenses, taxes, and distributions
Timing of distributions and management of estate cash flow
Asset sales, redemptions, and other liquidity strategies
Coordination of estate tax and final individual income tax filings
Income taxation during administration and income in respect of a decedent
Valuation approaches and available valuation elections
Installment payment options for estate tax liabilities
Special elections affecting closely held business interests
Use of disclaimers and beneficiary planning after death
Spousal planning options and qualified interest elections
Application of portability and exemption planning after the first death

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

Accounting and finance professionals who advise clients during estate administration

Objectives

Assess liquidity requirements during estate administration
Identify planning techniques that can improve estate cash flow
Apply valuation and timing elections to common estate scenarios
Recognize income tax issues affecting decedents and estates
Evaluate when post-death elections may reduce overall tax exposure