06/17/2026
Most people assume that a spouse's unused estate tax exemption passes to the surviving spouse automatically.
It doesn't.
Claiming it REQUIRES A FILING WITH THE IRS within 9 months of a spouse's death.
The IRS doesn't send a reminder. The deadline just passes.
A six-month extension is available, bringing the total window to 15 months. But the clock starts the day your spouse dies, not the day you think to ask about it.
This is exactly the kind of detail that gets lost in the fog of grief and estate administration.
It's also exactly the kind of thing we watch for on behalf of the families we work with. We also help families by working with their tax, legal, and accounting professionals to make certain that paperwork is completed in a timely manner.