§2439.  Estate tax marital deduction; formula qualifying

A.  In the event of the death of any person after December 31, 1981, if the testament contains a formula expressly providing that the spouse is to receive the maximum amount of property qualifying for the federal estate tax marital deduction allowable by federal law, the formula shall be construed as referring to the federal estate tax marital deduction as allowable by federal law as provided by Section 2056(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as amended by Section 403 of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981.

B.  The provisions of this Section shall not apply unless:

(1)  The decedent dies after December 31, 1981.

(2)  By reason of the death, property is acquired by the decedent's spouse under a formula provided in the testament.

(3)  The formula provided in the testament was not amended or otherwise changed as permitted by the laws of this state at any time on or after September 12, 1981, and before the death of the decedent.

C.  It is the intention of this Section to allow an increase in the amount of the federal estate tax marital deduction available to certain estates by reason of Section 2056 of the Internal Revenue Code to be conferred upon estates that would have been excluded from the benefits of Section 403 of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981.  To the extent necessary, this Section shall be retroactive to January 1, 1982.

D.  Nothing contained in the provisions of this Section shall be construed to impinge upon the legitime of a forced heir or to divest the rights of a forced heir to the legitime.

Acts 2011, No. 346, §2.