Iowa Code § 450.22 — Administration avoided — inheritance tax duties required —penalty

1. When the heirs or persons entitled to inherit the property of an estate subject to tax under this chapter desire to avoid the appointment of a personal representative as provided in section 450.21 , and in all instances where real estate is involved and there are no regular probate proceedings, they or one of them shall file under oath the inventories required by section 633.361 and the required reports, perform all the duties required by this chapter of the personal representative, and file the inheritance tax return. 2. However , this section does not apply and a return is not required to be filed even though real estate is part of the assets subject to tax under this chapter , if all of the assets are held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship between husband and wife alone, or if the estate exclusively consists of property held in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship solely by the decedent and individuals listed in section 450.9 as individuals that are entirely exempt from Iowa inheritance tax and the estate does not have a federal estate tax obligation. 3. a. However , this section does not apply and a return is not required to be filed, even though real estate is involved, if the estate does not have a federal estate tax filing obligation and if all the estate’s assets are described in any of the following categories: (1) Assets held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship between husband and wife alone. (2) Assets held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship solely between the decedent and individuals listed in section 450.9 as individuals that are entirely exempt from Iowa inheritance tax. (3) Assets passing by beneficiary designation, pursuant to a trust intended to pass the decedent’s property at death or through any other nonprobate transfer solely to individuals listed in section 450.9 as individuals that are entirely exempt from Iowa inheritance tax. b. This subsection does not apply to interests in an asset or assets that pass to both an individual listed in section 450.9 and to that individual’s spouse. 4. If a return is not required to be filed pursuant to subsection 3 , and if real estate is involved, one of the individuals with an interest in, or succeeding to an interest in, the real estate shall file an affidavit in the county in which the real estate is located setting forth the legal description of the real estate and the fact that an inheritance tax return is not required pursuant to subsection 3 . Anyone with or succeeding to an interest in real estate who willfully fails to file such an affidavit, or who willfully files a false affidavit, is guilty of a fraudulent practice. 5. When this section applies, proceedings for the collection of the tax when a personal representative is not appointed shall conform as nearly as possible to proceedings under this chapter in other cases.