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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84317</law_id><section_number>64.2-430</section_number><catch_line>Certain marital deduction formula clauses to be construed to refer to federal marital deduction allowable if decedent had died on December 31, 1981</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Wills and Decedents' Estates</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Wills</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Construction and Effect</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If property passes from the decedent or is acquired from the decedent by reason of the decedent&#x2019;s death under a <span class="dictionary">will</span> executed before September 12, 1981, or a trust created before September 12, 1981, and such <span class="dictionary">will</span> or trust contains a formula providing that the spouse of the decedent is to receive the maximum amount of property qualifying for the marital deduction allowable under federal <span class="dictionary">law</span>, then such formula provision shall be construed as referring to the maximum amount of property eligible for the marital deduction as was allowable under the Internal Revenue Code as if the decedent had died on December 31, 1981, unless the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall find that the decedent intended to refer to the maximum marital deduction of the Internal Revenue Code in effect at the time of his death, provided that such <span class="dictionary">will</span> or trust is not amended on or after September 12, 1981, and before the death of the decedent to refer specifically to an unlimited marital deduction or an amount qualifying for such deduction, or to otherwise manifest an <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to have the estate qualify for the unlimited marital deduction. <a id="paragraph-302237" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-430/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If property passes from the decedent or is acquired from the decedent by reason of the decedent&#x2019;s death under a <span class="dictionary">will</span> executed before September 12, 1981, or a trust created before September 12, 1981, and such <span class="dictionary">will</span> or trust contains a formula providing that the spouse of the decedent is to receive the maximum amount of property qualifying for the marital deduction allowable under federal <span class="dictionary">law</span>, but no more than <span class="dictionary">will</span> reduce such federal estate tax to zero or any other pecuniary or fractional share of property determined with reference to the marital deduction, then such provision reducing such bequest to such amount necessary to reduce the federal tax to zero or any other pecuniary or fractional share of property determined with reference to the marital deduction, shall be construed as referring to a computation done as of December 31, 1981, that would have reduced the federal estate tax to zero if the decedent had died on December 31, 1981, unless the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall find that the decedent intended the computation to be made as of the date of death, provided that such <span class="dictionary">will</span> or trust is not amended on or after September 12, 1981, and before the death of the decedent to refer to the federal estate tax on a date later than September 12, 1981. <a id="paragraph-302238" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-430/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The proceeding to determine whether the decedent intended that the computation under subsection A or B be made as of the date of death, rather than the earlier 1981 date, shall be filed within 12 months following the death of the testator or grantor. It may be filed by the <span class="dictionary">personal representative</span> or any affected beneficiary under the <span class="dictionary">will</span> or other instrument. <a id="paragraph-302239" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-430/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 622, &#xA7; 64.1-62.1; 1983, c. 512; 1987, c. 504; 2012, c. 614.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
