§ 25.2512-5. Valuation of annuities, unitrust interests, interests for life or term of years, and remainder or reversionary interests.

¶(1) In general. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section and § 25.7520-3(b) (relating to exceptions to the use of prescribed tables under certain circumstances), the fair market value of annuities, interests for life or a term of years, and remainder or reversionary interests transferred on or after June 1, 2023, is the present value of such interests determined under paragraph (d)(2) of this section and by using standard or special section 7520 actuarial factors. Many of these factors are derived by using the actuarial formulas provided in § 20.2031-7(d)(2) of this chapter, appropriate section 7520 interest rate, and, if applicable, the mortality component for the valuation date of the interest that is being valued. For purposes of the computations described in this section, the age of an individual is the age of that individual at the individual's nearest birthday. For the convenience of taxpayers, paragraph (d)(2) of this section provides for published tables of factors for specific types of interests. These published tables provide factors for rates from 0.2 to 20 percent, inclusive, at intervals of two-tenths of one percent. In general, appropriate factors instead may be computed directly from the actuarial formulas provided in § 20.2031-7(d)(2) of this chapter. In some cases, specific examples in this part and IRS publications illustrate approximation methods (for example, interpolation) for obtaining factors when the required valuation rate falls between two listed rates (such as in the case of a pooled income fund's rate of return or a unitrust's adjusted payout rate). Exact methods of obtaining the applicable actuarial factors are allowed, such as through software using the actual rate of return and the actuarial formulas provided in § 20.2031-7(d)(2) of this chapter. When using either an exact method or the approximation method, the resulting actuarial factor must be expressed with at least the same number of decimal places as that used in this part. The approximation method provided in this part must be used if more exact methods are not available. See §§ 25.7520-1 through 25.7520-4. The selected method must be applied consistently in valuing all interests in the same property. The fair market value of a qualified annuity interest described in section 2702(b)(1) and a qualified unitrust interest described in section 2702(b)(2) is the present value of such interests determined under § 25.7520-1(c).

¶(2) Specific interests. When the donor transfers property in trust or otherwise and retains an interest therein, generally, the value of the gift is the value of the property transferred less the value of the donor's retained interest. However, if the donor transfers property after October 8, 1990, to or for the benefit of a member of the donor's family, the value of the gift is the value of the property transferred less the value of the donor's retained interest as determined under section 2702. If the donor assigns or relinquishes an annuity, an interest for life or a term of years, a remainder or reversionary interest that the donor holds by virtue of a transfer previously made by the donor or another, the value of the gift is the value of the interest transferred. However, see section 2519 for a special rule in the case of the assignment of an income interest by a person who received the interest from a spouse.

¶(3) Transitional rule. If the valuation date of a transfer of property by gift is after April 30, 2019, and on or before June 1, 2023, the fair market value of the interest transferred is determined by using the section 7520 interest rate for the month in which the valuation date occurs (see §§ 25.7520-1(b) and 25.7520-2(a)(2)) and the appropriate actuarial factors derived from the selected mortality table, either Table 2010CM in § 20.2031-7(d)(7)(ii) of this chapter or Table 2000CM in § 20.2031-7A(g)(4) of this chapter, at the option of the donor or the decedent's executor, as the case may be. If any previously filed gift tax return is supplemented to use the actuarial factors based on Table 2010CM, the supplemental return must state at the top “AMENDED PURSUANT TO TD 9974.” For the convenience of taxpayers, actuarial factors based on Table 2010CM appear in the current version of Table S, and actuarial factors based on Table 2000CM appear in the previous version of Table S. Both versions of Table S will be available as provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section. With respect to each individual transaction, the donor must consistently use the same mortality basis with respect to each interest (income, remainder, partial, etc.) in the same property, and with respect to all transfers occurring on the same valuation date. For example, gift and income tax charitable deductions with respect to the same transfer must be determined based on factors with the same mortality basis, and all assets includible in the gross estate and/or estate tax deductions claimed must be valued based on factors with the same mortality basis.

¶(4) Publications and actuarial computations by the Internal Revenue Service. The factor for determining the present value of a remainder interest that is dependent on the termination of the life of one individual may be computed by using the formula in § 20.2031-7(d)(2)(ii)(B) of this chapter to derive a remainder factor from the appropriate mortality table expressed to at least five decimal places. For the convenience of taxpayers, actuarial factors have been computed by the IRS and appear in Table S. The factor for determining the present value of a remainder interest following a term certain may be computed by using the formula in § 20.2031-7(d)(2)(ii)(A) of this chapter expressed to at least six decimal places. For the convenience of taxpayers, actuarial factors have been computed by the IRS and appear in Table B. Adjustment factors for term certain annuities payable at the beginning of each interval may be computed by using the formula in § 20.2031-7(d)(2)(iv)(C) of this chapter expressed to at least four decimal places. For the convenience of taxpayers, actuarial factors have been computed by the IRS and appear in Table J. Adjustment factors for annuities payable at the end of each interval may be computed by using the formula in § 20.2031-7(d)(2)(iv)(B) of this chapter expressed to at least four decimal places. For the convenience of taxpayers, actuarial factors have been computed by the IRS and appear in Table K. These tables currently are available, at no charge, electronically via the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/actuarial-tables (or a corresponding URL as may be updated from time to time). IRS Publication 1457, Actuarial Valuations Version 4A (2023), references and explains the factors contained in the actuarial tables and also includes examples that illustrate how to compute many special factors for more unusual situations. This publication will be available within a reasonable time after June 1, 2023. Tables B, J, and K also can be found in § 20.2031-7(d)(6) of this chapter, but only for interest rates from 4.2 to 14 percent, inclusive. If a particular factor is required, that factor may be calculated by the taxpayer using the actuarial formula in § 20.2031-7(d)(2) of this chapter or the taxpayer may request a ruling to obtain the factor from the Internal Revenue Service. The request for a ruling must be accompanied by a recitation of the facts including a statement of the date of birth for each measuring life, the date of the gift, any other applicable dates, and a copy of the will, trust, or other relevant documents. A request for a ruling must comply with the instructions for requesting a ruling published periodically in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see Rev. Proc. 2023-1, 2023-1 I.R.B. 1, or successor revenue procedures, and §§ 601.201 and 601.601(d)(2)(ii)(b) of this chapter) and must include payment of the required user fee.