Title 26Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73not60

§2652 Other Definitions

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle B— Estate and Gift Taxes › Chapter 13— TAX ON GENERATION-SKIPPING TRANSFERS › Subchapter F— Other Definitions and Special Rules › § 2652

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used for the tax rules in this chapter. Transferor means the person who gave or owned the property for tax purposes: for property taxed under chapter 11 it is the decedent, and for property taxed under chapter 12 it is the donor. A gift split under section 2513 counts as half from each spouse. The law also refers to certain trusts tied to deductions under section 2056(b)(7) and section 2523(f). Trust means any arrangement that works like a trust even if it is not called one. Trustee means the person who actually holds or controls the property. That includes things like life estates, fixed-term estates, insurance, and annuity contracts. A person has an interest in trust property if, when checked, they have a current right to income or principal, are an allowed current recipient (and not a charitable recipient under section 2055(a)), or are a charitable recipient but the trust is a charitable remainder annuity trust, a charitable remainder unitrust (section 664), or a pooled income fund (section 642(c)(5)). An interest made mainly to avoid tax is ignored. A support right under state law does not count as an interest if the support is discretionary or follows a law like the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act. Executor has the meaning given in section 2203.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §2652

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For purposes of this chapter—
(1)Except as provided in this subsection or section 2653(a), the term “transferor” means—
(A)in the case of any property subject to the tax imposed by chapter 11, the decedent, and
(B)in the case of any property subject to the tax imposed by chapter 12, the donor.
(2)If, under section 2513, one-half of a gift is treated as made by an individual and one-half of such gift is treated as made by the spouse of such individual, such gift shall be so treated for purposes of this chapter.
(3)In the case of—
(A)any trust with respect to which a deduction is allowed to the decedent under section 2056 by reason of subsection (b)(7) thereof, and
(B)any trust with respect to which a deduction to the donor spouse is allowed under section 2523 by reason of subsection (f) thereof,
(b)(1)The term “trust” includes any arrangement (other than an estate) which, although not a trust, has substantially the same effect as a trust.
(2)In the case of an arrangement which is not a trust but which is treated as a trust under this subsection, the term “trustee” shall mean the person in actual or constructive possession of the property subject to such arrangement.
(3)Arrangements to which this subsection applies include arrangements involving life estates and remainders, estates for years, and insurance and annuity contracts.
(c)(1)A person has an interest in property held in trust if (at the time the determination is made) such person—
(A)has a right (other than a future right) to receive income or corpus from the trust,
(B)is a permissible current recipient of income or corpus from the trust and is not described in section 2055(a), or
(C)is described in section 2055(a) and the trust is—
(i)a charitable remainder annuity trust,
(ii)a charitable remainder unitrust within the meaning of section 664, or
(iii)a pooled income fund within the meaning of section 642(c)(5).
(2)For purposes of paragraph (1), an interest which is used primarily to postpone or avoid any tax imposed by this chapter shall be disregarded.
(3)The fact that income or corpus of the trust may be used to satisfy an obligation of support arising under State law shall be disregarded in determining whether a person has an interest in the trust, if—
(A)such use is discretionary, or
(B)such use is pursuant to the provisions of any State law substantially equivalent to the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act.
(d)For purposes of this chapter, the term “executor” has the meaning given such term by section 2203.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 105–206, § 6013(a)(4)(A), struck out at end “Such term shall not include any trust during any period the trust is treated as part of an estate under section 645.” Pub. L. 105–206, § 6013(a)(3), substituted “section 645” for “section 646”. 1997—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 105–34 inserted at end “Such term shall not include any trust during any period the trust is treated as part of an estate under section 646.” 1988—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1014(g)(9), substituted “any property” for “a transfer of a kind” in subpars. (A) and (B) and inserted at end “An individual shall be treated as transferring any property with respect to which such individual is the transferor.” Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1014(g)(14), substituted “any trust” for “any property” in subpars. (A) and (B) and “may elect to treat all of the property in such trust” for “may elect to treat such property” in closing provisions. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1014(g)(8), struck out “nominal” before “interests” in heading and substituted “any tax” for “the tax” in text. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1014(g)(6), added par. (3). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1014(g)(20), added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–206 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Pub. L. 105–34, to which such amendment relates, see section 6024 of Pub. L. 105–206, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–34 applicable with respect to estates of decedents dying after Aug. 5, 1997, see section 1305(d) of Pub. L. 105–34, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 645 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, to which such amendment relates, see section 1019(a) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Effective Date

Section applicable to generation-skipping transfers (within the meaning of section 2611 of this title) made after Oct. 22, 1986, except as otherwise provided, see section 1433 of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 2601 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 2652

Title 26Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60