HTML Version Copyright 1997-2013 Daniel B. Evans. All rights reserved.


Section 7520 Rates

(This page is no longer being updated. Please click here for most current table)

The section 7520 rate is used to discount the value of annuities, life estates, and remainders to present value, and is revised monthly. It is equal to 120% of the applicable federal mid-term rate under section 1274(d), but rounded to the nearest two-tenths of a percent.

Normally, the section 7520 rate for the month in which the gift or death occurs is used to calculated the gift or estate tax value of the annuity, life estate, or remainder. However, the income, gift, or estate tax value of a charitable life estate or remainder can be determined using the rate for the month in which the gift or death occurs or a rate for either of the two preceding months.

The section 7520 rate for a calendar month is usually announced by the Internal Revenue Service in the form of a Revenue Ruling that is released around the 18th of the preceding month. The following is a chart of the rates that have been announced by the IRS:

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
1989 NA NA 11.2%* 11.6%* 11.6% 11.2% 10.6% 10.0% 9.6% 10.2% 10.0% 9.8%
1990 9.6% 9.8% 10.2% 10.6% 10.6% 11.0% 10.6% 10.4% 10.2% 10.6% 10.6% 10.2%
1991 9.8% 9.6% 9.4% 9.6% 9.6% 9.6% 9.6% 9.8% 9.6% 9.0% 8.6% 8.4%
1992 8.2% 7.6% 8.0% 8.4% 8.6% 8.4% 8.2% 7.8% 7.2% 7.0% 6.8% 7.4%
1993 7.6% 7.6% 7.0% 6.6% 6.6% 6.4% 6.6% 6.4% 6.4% 6.0% 6.0% 6.2%
1994 6.4% 6.4% 6.4% 7.0% 7.8% 8.4% 8.2% 8.4% 8.4% 8.6% 9.0% 9.4%
1995 9.6% 9.6% 9.4% 8.8% 8.6% 8.2% 7.6% 7.2% 7.6% 7.6% 7.4% 7.2%
1996 6.8% 6.8% 6.6% 7.0% 7.6% 8.0% 8.2% 8.2% 8.0% 8.0% 8.0% 7.6%
1997 7.4% 7.6% 7.8% 7.8% 8.2% 8.2% 8.0% 7.6% 7.6% 7.6% 7.4% 7.2%
1998 7.2% 6.8% 6.8% 6.8% 6.8% 7.0% 6.8% 6.8% 6.6% 6.2% 5.4% 5.4%
1999 5.6% 5.6% 5.8% 6.4% 6.2% 6.4% 7.0% 7.2% 7.2% 7.2% 7.4% 7.4%
2000 7.4% 8.0% 8.2% 8.0% 7.8% 8.0% 8.0% 7.6% 7.6% 7.4% 7.2% 7.0%
2001 6.8% 6.2% 6.2% 6.0% 5.8% 6.0% 6.2% 6.0% 5.8% 5.6% 5.0% 4.8%
2002 5.4% 5.6% 5.4% 5.6% 6.0% 5.8% 5.6% 5.2% 4.6% 4.2% 3.6% 4.0%
2003 4.2% 4.0% 3.8% 3.6% 3.8% 3.6% 3.0% 3.2% 4.2% 4.4% 4.0% 4.2%
2004 4.2% 4.2% 4.0% 3.8% 3.8% 4.6% 5.0% 4.8% 4.6% 4.4% 4.2% 4.2%
2005 4.6% 4.6% 4.6% 5.0% 5.2% 4.8% 4.6% 4.8% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.4%
2006 5.4% 5.2% 5.4% 5.6% 5.8% 6.0% 6.0% 6.2% 6.0% 5.8% 5.6% 5.8%
2007 5.6% 5.6% 5.8% 5.6% 5.6% 5.6% 6.0% 6.2% 5.8% 5.2% 5.2% 5.0%
2008 4.4% 4.2% 3.6% 3.4% 3.2% 3.8% 4.2% 4.2% 4.2% 3.8% 3.6% 3.4%
2009 2.4% 2.0% 2.4% 2.6% 2.4% 2.8% 3.4% 3.4% 3.4% 3.2% 3.2% 3.2%
2010 3.0% 3.4% 3.2% 3.2% 3.4% 3.2% 2.8% 2.6% 2.4% 2.0% 2.0% 1.8%
2011 2.4% 2.8% 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% 2.8% 2.4% 2.2% 2.0% 1.4% 1.4% 1.6%
2012 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1.6% 1.2% 1.2% 1.0% 1.0% 1.2% 1.0% 1.2%
2013 1.0% 1.2% 1.4% 1.4% 1.2% 1.2% 1.4% 2.0% 2.0% 2.4% 2.0% 2.0%
2014 2.2% 2.4% 2.2% 2.2% 2.4% 2.2%

* The rates shown for March and April of 1989 exist only for charitable transfers in May or June of 1989 because the donor may elect to apply a rate from one of the preceding two months. See Notice 89-60, 1989-1 C.B. 700, for details. Transfers actually made in March or April of 1989 are not valued using the rates shown above but using the 10% discount rate that applied before the effective date of section 7520. See Treas. Reg. section 20.2031-7A(d).

Before 1989, life estates, remainders, and annuities were valued as follows:

  1. From 12/1/1983 to 4/30/1989, based on a rate of 10 percent and a unisex mortality table that was known as either Table CM (in one publication) or Table LN (in the regulations). You can find tables of factors for single life and term interests, as well as Table LN, at Treas. Reg. section 20.2031-7A(d)(6).
  2. From 1/1/1971 through 11/30/1983, based on a rate of 6 percent and using a different mortality table, also known as Table LN, that showed mortality factors for males and females separately.
  3. From 1/1/1952 through 12/31/1970, based on a rate of 3.5% and U.S. Life Table 38 (which was also gender-specific).
  4. Before 1/1/1952, based on a rate of 4% and a still older mortality table (which was also gender-specific).
See Treas. Reg. section 20.2031-7A for additional information.


Evans Law Office
Daniel B. Evans, Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 27370
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Telephone: (866) 348-4250
Email: dan@evans-legal.com