Who are required to file the Estate Tax return?

a) The executor or administrator or any of the legal heirs of the decedent or non-resident of the Philippines under any of the following situation:

- In all cases of transfer subject to Estate Tax;

- Where though exempt from Estate Tax, the gross value of the estate exceeds two hundred thousand P 200,000.00; and

- Where regardless of the gross value, the estate consists of registered or registrable property such as real property, motor vehicle, share of stocks or other similar property for which a clearance from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is required as a prerequisite for the transfer of ownership thereof in the name of the transferee. (part II par.(1.#3) of RMC No. 34-2013)

b) Where there is no executor or administrator appointed, qualified and acting within the Philippines, then any person in actual or constructive possession of any property of the decedent must file the return.

c) The Estate Tax imposed under the Tax Code shall be paid by the executor or administrator before the delivery of the distributive share in the inheritance to any heir or beneficiary. Where there are two or more executors or administrators, all of them are severally liable for the payment of the tax. The estate tax clearance issued by the Commissioner or the Revenue District Officer (RDO) having jurisdiction over the estate, will serve as the authority to distribute the remaining/distributable properties/share in the inheritance to the heir or beneficiary.

d) The executor or administrator of an estate has the primary obligation to pay the estate tax but the heir or beneficiary has subsidiary liability for the payment of that portion of the estate which his distributive share bears to the value of the total net estate. The extent of his liability, however, shall in no case exceed the value of his share in the inheritance.