The term is often described as having originated in Renaissance Italy, where there allegedly existed the tradition of smashing a banker's bench if he defaulted on payment

This may be done for tax reasons or to control the property and its benefits if the settlor is absent, incapacitated, or deceased

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and English-speaking world and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject

Although relatives of the deceased frequently receive priority over all others, creditors of the deceased and 'any other citizen [of that jurisdiction]'[citation needed] may act as an administrator if there is some cognizable reason or relationship to the estate

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Assets left to any other heir, including the decedent's children, may be taxed if that portion of the estate has a value in excess of the lifetime gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption amount

A filing is required if the gross estate of the decedent, increased by the decedent’s adjusted taxable gifts and specific gift tax exemption, is valued at more than the filing threshold for the year of the decedent’s death, as shown in the table below