What happens to dividends declared after the death of the decedent?

Dividends declared after the death of the decedent are treated distinctly in the context of estate planning and taxation. The correct reasoning is that these dividends are not included in the gross estate of the decedent. This is because the gross estate is composed of the decedent's assets that were owned or had an interest in at the time of their death. Any dividends declared post-mortem are regarded as income received by the estate rather than assets that belonged to the decedent when they were alive.

This distinction is crucial for estate administrators as they manage the decedent's financial matters after death. While the heirs may ultimately receive any distributions from the estate, those dividends themselves do not influence the valuation of the decedent's gross estate, which is primarily assessed based on assets and interests owned prior to death. The focus remains on assets that were in existence and any contractual obligations related to those assets at the time of passing.