Preliminary notice for estates of decedents dying before January 1, 1971. (1) A preliminary notice must be filed on Form 704 for the estate of every citizen or resident of the United States whose gross estate exceeded $60,000 in value on the date of his death.

In the case of a nonresident not a citizen of the United States dying on or after November 14, 1966—

Subject to the provisions of subdivisions (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph, a preliminary notice must be filed on Form 705 if that part of the decedent's gross estate situated in the United States exceeded $30,000 in value on the date of his death (see §§ 20.2103-1 and 20.2104-1).

If the transfer of the estate is subject to the tax imposed by section 2107(a) (relating to expatriation to avoid tax), any amounts includible in the decedent's gross estate under section 2107(b) are to be added to the value on the date of his death of that part of his gross estate situated in the United States, for purposes of determining under subdivision (i) of this subparagraph whether his gross estate exceeded $30,000 in value on the date of his death.

If the transfer of the estate is subject to tax pursuant to a Presidential proclamation made under section 2108(a) (relating to Presidential proclamations of the application of pre-1967 estate tax provisions), a preliminary notice must be filed on Form 705 if the value on the date of the decedent's death of that part of his gross estate situated in the United States exceeded $2,000.

A preliminary notice must be filed on Form 705 for the estate of every nonresident not a citizen of the United States dying before November 14, 1966, if the value on the date of his death of that part of his gross estate situated in the United States exceeded $2,000.

The value of the gross estate on the date of death governs with respect to the requirement for filing the preliminary notice irrespective of whether the value of the gross estate is, at the executor's election, finally determined pursuant to the provisions of section 2032 as of a date subsequent to the date of death. If there is doubt as to whether the gross estate exceeds $60,000, $30,000, or $2,000, as the case may be, the notice shall be filed as a matter of precaution in order to avoid the possibility of penalties attaching.

The primary purpose of the preliminary notice is to advise the Internal Revenue Service of the existence of taxable estates, and filing shall not be delayed beyond the period provided for in § 20.6071-1 merely because of uncertainty as to the exact value of the assets. The estimate of the gross estate called for by the notice shall be the best approximation of value which can be made within the time allowed. Duplicate copies of the preliminary notice are not required to be filed.

For criminal penalties for failure to file a notice and filing a false or fraudulent notice, see sections 7203, 7207, and 7269. See § 20.6091-1 for the place for filing the notice. See § 20.6071-1 for the time for filing the notice.

Persons required to file. In the case of an estate of a citizen or resident of the United States described in paragraph (a) of this section, the preliminary notice must be filed by the duly qualified executor or administrator, or if none qualifies within two months after the decedent's death, by every person in actual or constructive possession of any property of the decedent at or after the time of the decedent's death. The signature of one executor or administrator on the preliminary notice is sufficient. In the case of a nonresident not a citizen, the notice must be filed by every duly qualified executor or administrator within the United States, or if none qualifies within two months after the decedent's death, by every person in actual or constructive possession of any property of the decedent at or after the time of the decedent's death.