Venable partner Stef Tucker was quoted on Tax Analysts.com on December 16, 2009 in an article that offered tips to avoid an estate audit.
Tucker's quotes came from his participation on a December 15, 2009 panel presentation to the District of Columbia Bar Association's Tax Section. The presentation was organized to give tax practitioners suggestions on avoiding audit selection.
Among the estate tax return advice offered, the article mentioned that while funeral expenses may be approved by a court, typically travel expenses to and from the service are excluded because they benefit the attendee and not the deceased. However, Tucker noted that in some states, food and alcohol may be deductible.
Tucker also advised practitioners to keep complete records and to begin preparing for the estate tax return well before it needs to be filed. Having an independent accountant provide property valuations may also help avoid trouble, he suggested.