Rhode Island § 44-23-35 - Estate and Transfer Taxes — Enforcement and Collection

§ 44-23-35. Statement required as to delivery of decedent’s property to other than administrator.

No person having in possession or under control of property forming a part of the estate of a resident decedent, as provided in this chapter, may deliver or transfer the property to any person other than the executor, administrator, or trustee of the decedent unless the person making delivery or transfer of the property immediately furnishes the tax administrator with a statement under oath describing the property delivered or transferred together with the name of the person to whom the property is delivered or transferred; provided, that any insurance company engaging in the business of writing contracts of insurance in the state notifies the tax administrator of the amount of any payment or payments made, or to be made to any person or persons under any insurance contract, as a result of the death of a Rhode Island resident, whenever the total amount of payment or payments made or to be made to the person or persons exceeds fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); and provided, that banks and other institutions having deposits standing in the joint names of two (2) or more persons, or standing in the joint names of two (2) or more persons and payable to either or the survivor or survivors, are not required to furnish the statement with respect to deposits of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or less. In the case of deposits of over one thousand dollars ($1,000), the bank or other institution, having knowledge of the decease of one of the persons in whose names the deposit stands, or upon request of the tax administrator, shall, in lieu of the statement furnish a certificate showing the amount of each deposit together with the names of the persons in whose names the deposit stands. Any person who makes delivery or transfer without furnishing a statement is liable for the amount of any tax which may be assessed on account of the transfer of the property, together with its interest, to be collected in an action brought in the name of the tax administrator.