Form 709 Filing Requirements: What to Review

Updated September 22, 2026 • Verify current IRS Form 709 instructions.

What Form 709 reports

Form 709 is used to report transfers subject to federal gift tax and certain generation-skipping transfer tax rules, and to allocate lifetime GST exemption to certain lifetime transfers.

Questions to review

• What transfers were made during the calendar year?
• Do any exclusions or exceptions apply under current law?
• Is gift splitting being elected?
• Are prior taxable gifts needed for the current computation?
• Is GST reporting or exemption allocation involved?

Keep prior returns

Prior Forms 709 can become important in future gift-tax years and later estate-tax preparation. Keep complete copies of filed returns and supporting valuation information.

Official sources