Bypass Trust may lower the risk for hard to value assets.

• A. Tax rate
• B. Audit risk
• C. Capital gains
• D. Filing fees

Answer: (B)

A bypass trust helps manage valuation risk in estates. For assets that are hard to value, the IRS expects careful, well-supported numbers. When these assets are put into a bypass (credit shelter) trust, they’re removed from the deceased person’s estate and placed in a separate, irrevocable structure with precise documentation. Valuation for the trust assets is typically established at the time of the first death and supported by independent appraisals, then fixed within the trust. This creates a clear, auditable valuation trail that reduces ambiguity about value and limits post-death shifting or reinterpretation of numbers. Because the main concern with hard-to-value assets is ensuring a solid, defendable valuation, using a bypass trust lowers the likelihood of audit scrutiny in this area. It doesn’t directly change the tax rate, capital gains, or filing fees.