Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) Estate Tax Guide 2026: Crummey Letters, the 3-Year Rule & Keeping Death Benefits Out of Your Estate
How an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) keeps life insurance death benefits out of your taxable estate in 2026: why proceeds are estate-taxable under IRC §2042, how Crummey letters preserve the annual gift tax exclusion, the 3-year lookback rule under §2035, choosing a trustee, how an ILIT differs from a revocable living trust, the federal exemption, and state estate taxes.