Sec. 56.

As used in this act:

(a) "Decedent" means a deceased person and includes, but is not limited to, a testator, grantor, bargainor, vendor, donor, or person who dies intestate.

(b) "Department" means the bureau of revenue of the department of treasury.

(c) "Federal generation-skipping transfer tax" means the tax imposed by chapter 13 of subtitle B of the internal revenue code.

(d) "Federal return" means any United States transfer tax return including federal estate tax returns and generation-skipping tax returns unless the context indicates a similar Michigan tax return.

(e) "Generation-skipping transfer" means every transfer subject to the federal generation-skipping transfer tax in which the original transferor is a resident of this state at the date of the transfer by the original transferor or the property transferred is real or personal property situated in this state.

(f) "Gross estate" means the gross estate determined under the internal revenue code.

(g) "Internal revenue code" means the United States internal revenue code of 1986, in effect on January 1, 1998 or, at the option of the personal representative, in effect on the date of the decedent's death.

(h) "Intangible personal property" means incorporeal personal property including, but not limited to, deposits in banks, negotiable instruments, mortgages, debts, receivables, shares of stock, bonds, notes, credits, evidences of an interest in property, evidences of debt, and choses in action generally.

(i) "Nonresident" means an individual who is not a resident.

(j) "Original transferor" means any grantor, donor, trustor, testator, or person who by grant, gift, trust, will, or otherwise, makes a transfer of real or personal property that results in a federal generation-skipping transfer tax.

(k) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, limited liability company, company, estate, or any other group or combination acting as a unit. Person does not include public corporations.

(l) "Personal representative" means the personal representative appointed by the probate court, including an independent personal representative, or, if a personal representative is not acting, then any person who is in the actual or constructive possession of any property included in the gross estate of the decedent or any other person who is required to file a return or pay the taxes due under any provision of this act. A safe and collateral deposit company, trust company, corporation, bank, or other institution is not the personal representative of property held in a safe deposit box or of money or property on deposit if the indicated ownership or registered title denotes ownership by right of survivorship. A safe and collateral deposit company, trust company, corporation, bank, or other institution is the personal representative of property that it is holding if it is a court-appointed personal representative, including an independent personal representative, or, if a personal representative is not acting, if it is holding property in a fiduciary capacity as a trustee or successor trustee.

(m) "Resident" means that term as defined in section 18 of the income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.18. However, nothing in this act diminishes the settling of domiciles of decedents under 1956 PA 173, MCL 205.601 to 205.607.

(n) "Tangible personal property" means corporeal personal property.

(o) "Transfer" means the passing of property or any interest in property, in possession or enjoyment, present or future, by inheritance, descent, devise, succession, bequest, grant, deed, bargain, sale, gift, or appointment.

(p) "Transfer tax" includes an estate, generation-skipping, inheritance, legacy, or succession tax for residents and nonresidents, including aliens.

(q) "United States" when used in a geographical sense includes only the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

History: Add. 1993, Act 54, Imd. Eff. June 3, 1993 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 372, Imd. Eff. Dec. 27, 1994 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 277, Imd. Eff. July 27, 1998 Popular Name: Inheritance Tax