Estate of Mary Van Riper v. Director, Division of Taxation (082000) (Tax Court & Statewide) (A-51-18; 082000)

Estate of Mary Van Riper v. Director, Division of Taxation (082000) (Tax Court & Statewide) (A-51-18; 082000)

The Court agrees with both the Tax Court and the Appellate Division that the Division properly taxed the entirety of the residence when both life interests were extinguished, and the remainder was transferred to Marita. The property’s transfer, in its entirety, took place “at or after” Mary’s death, and was appropriately taxed at its full value at that time. In light of the estate-planning mechanism used here, any other holding would introduce an intolerable measure of speculation and uncertainty in an area of law in which clarity, simplicity, and ease of implementation are paramount.