[Title] A-Z of Spanish Probate
United States A-Z of U.S. Estate Planning Concepts This glossary is directed mainly at the solicitor whose clients are American, have assets in America, or U.S. family members who are beneficiaries of trusts. The U.S. Federal government imposes income and capital taxes on its citizens regardless of their residence or their domicile. However, the Federal government does not have its own probate or trusts law. The United States is composed of the District of Columbia and 50 states, each of which have their own probate, Wills, trusts and tax laws. Many states have adopted "uniform" laws that are promulgated by the Uniform Law Commissioners in an effort to create some uniformity among the laws of the various states. Uniform laws in the private client area generally include the Uniform Trust Code, the Uniform Probate Code, and the Uniform Principal and Income Act, which is the most widely adopted of the Uniform Laws in this area. See www.uniformlaws.org. Many states have adopted tax codes that mirror the U.S. Federal tax code in varying degrees. All Section or § references below are to the United States Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and to the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Regulations”). A Administrator (or executor) The terms administrator and executor generally have the same meaning under U.S. law as they do under English law. The term "personal representative" is also used in the United States. However, for U.S. Federal estate tax purposes, the term “executor” means the executor or administrator of the decedent (i.e., the deceased), or, if there is no executor or administrator appointed, qualified, and acting within the United States, then any person in actual or constructive possession of any property of the decedent.
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