Ian Bryzek, CPA
What life-insurance records belong in a Form 706 file?
Life insurance can affect the estate-tax file even when the check is paid directly to a beneficiary.
Policy ownership, beneficiary designations, and insurer proceeds statements are the documents that usually matter—not the family story of who was supposed to get the money.
Keep insurer correspondence with the estate-tax workpapers so inclusion questions can be reviewed from primary records.
What to keep with the file
Keep insurer correspondence with the estate-tax workpapers so inclusion questions can be reviewed from primary records.
What to do next
Request insurer statements early; they often take longer than bank records.
What to gather
- Policy declarations and ownership pages
- Beneficiary designation forms
- Insurer proceeds and Form 712-type statements
- Premium payment history if ownership is unclear
- Trust or assignment documents affecting the policy
Who usually handles what
- Ian can organize the tax reporting question and the supporting records.
- An estate attorney handles title, authority, trust interpretation, and beneficiary rights.
A practical next step
Request insurer statements early; they often take longer than bank records.
Questions about title, probate authority, trust meaning, or a beneficiary's legal rights belong with an estate attorney. Start with the Professionals directory: /professionals/
Related guides
- What records does a cpa need after a death
- Final income tax return after death
- Step up in basis after death
This is general tax information, not tax or legal advice. Outcomes depend on the documents, ownership, timing, and law that apply to the particular facts.