(1)For the purposes of this Act the assets of which a deceased person was competent to dispose—
(a)shall be deemed to be acquired on his death by the personal representatives or other person on whom they devolve for a consideration equal to their market value at the date of the death, but
(b)shall not be deemed to be disposed of by him on his death (whether or not they were the subject of a testamentary disposition).
(2)Allowable losses sustained by an individual in the year of assessment in which he dies may, so far as they cannot be deducted from chargeable gains accruing in that year, be deducted from chargeable gains accruing to the deceased in the 3 years of assessment preceding the year of assessment in which the death occurs, taking chargeable gains accruing in a later year before those accruing in an earlier year.
(3)In relation to property forming part of the estate of a deceased person the personal representatives shall for the purposes of this Act be treated as being a single and continuing body of persons (distinct from the persons who may from time to time be the personal representatives), and that body shall be treated as having the deceased’s residence, ordinary residence, and domicile at the date of death.
(4)On a person acquiring any asset as legatee (as defined in section 64)—
(a)no chargeable gain shall accrue to the personal representatives, and
(b)the legatee shall be treated as if the personal representatives' acquisition of the asset had been his acquisition of it.
(5)Notwithstanding section 17(1) no chargeable gain shall accrue to any person on his making a disposal by way of donatio mortis causa.
(6)Subject to subsections (7) and (8) below, where within the period of 2 years after a person’s death any of the dispositions (whether effected by will, under the law relating to intestacy or otherwise) of the property of which he was competent to dispose are varied, or the benefit conferred by any of those dispositions is disclaimed, by an instrument in writing made by the persons or any of the persons who benefit or would benefit under the dispositions—
(a)the variation or disclaimer shall not constitute a disposal for the purposes of this Act, and
(b)this section shall apply as if the variation had been effected by the deceased or, as the case may be, the disclaimed benefit had never been conferred.
(7)Subsection (6) above does not apply to a variation unless the person or persons making the instrument so elect by notice given to the Board within 6 months after the date of the instrument or such longer time as the Board may allow.
(8)Subsection (6) above does not apply to a variation or disclaimer made for any consideration in money or money’s worth other than consideration consisting of the making of a variation or disclaimer in respect of another of the dispositions.
(9)Subsection (6) above applies whether or not the administration of the estate is complete or the property has been distributed in accordance with the original dispositions.
(10)In this section references to assets of which a deceased person was competent to dispose are references to assets of the deceased which (otherwise than in right of a power of appointment or of the testamentary power conferred by statute to dispose of entailed interests) he could, if of full age and capacity, have disposed of by his will, assuming that all the assets were situated in England and, if he was not domiciled in the United Kingdom, that he was domiciled in England, and include references to his severable share in any assets to which, immediately before his death, he was beneficially entitled as a joint tenant.