Disclaimer and Renunciation of Interest (Qualified Disclaimer) — South Dakota

South Dakota Estate Planning & Wills Updated November 1, 2026 Free Word and PDF

Timing: Calculate two separate deadlines. For federal tax qualification, deliver the signed writing within nine months after the later of the transfer creating the interest or the disclaimant's 21st birthday, subject to the mailing and weekend/holiday rules in Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2(c)(2). South Dakota's deadline depends on the kind of interest under SDCL § 29A-2-801(b)-(e); for some future interests it runs from the later determining event. State timeliness alone does not establish federal tax qualification. State law treats a late disclaimer as an assignment under § 29A-2-801(i). Confirm both deadlines before signing.

DISCLAIMER AND RENUNCIATION OF INTEREST (QUALIFIED DISCLAIMER)

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA


TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Disclaimant Information
  2. Identification of the Transfer and Interest Disclaimed
  3. Statutory Authority
  4. The Disclaimer
  5. Qualified-Disclaimer Representations
  6. Effect and Passing of the Disclaimed Interest
  7. Irrevocability and Binding Effect
  8. Filing, Delivery, and Recording
  9. Signature, Acknowledgment, and Notarization
  10. Verification / Declaration
  11. Certificate of Delivery / Service
  12. Attachments Checklist

1. DISCLAIMANT INFORMATION

Field Detail
Full Legal Name of Disclaimant [________________________________]
Mailing Address [________________________________]
City / State / ZIP [____________], South Dakota [__________]
Telephone [________________________________]
Email [________________________________]
Relationship to Decedent / Transferor [________________________________]
Date of Birth (for age-21 determination) [__/__/____]

The undersigned (the "Disclaimant") is a person who may be entitled to receive property or a beneficial interest within the meaning of SDCL § 29A-2-801(a), namely a(n): ☐ devisee under a will ☐ heir / person taking by intestate succession ☐ surviving joint tenant of the Decedent ☐ beneficiary of an inter vivos trust or other lifetime transfer ☐ beneficiary of a life insurance policy ☐ beneficiary of a retirement plan ☐ beneficiary of any other contract ☐ other: [____________________].


2. IDENTIFICATION OF THE TRANSFER AND INTEREST DISCLAIMED

Source of the interest (check all that apply):
☐ Last Will and Testament of the Decedent
☐ Intestate succession (SDCL ch. 29A-2)
☐ Inter vivos trust or other lifetime transfer
☐ Life insurance policy
☐ Retirement plan or other contract
☐ Joint tenancy with right of survivorship
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Field Detail
Name of Decedent / Transferor / Donor [________________________________]
Decedent's Date of Death / Date of Transfer / Determining Event [__/__/____]
County of Domicile / Administration [____________] County, South Dakota
Circuit Court Estate / Case No. (if any) [________________________________]
Name of Personal Representative / Trustee / Insurer / Issuer [________________________________]
Describe the specific property or interest disclaimed [________________________________]

Extent of the disclaimer:
☐ Full disclaimer — the Disclaimant disclaims the entire interest described above.
☐ Partial disclaimer — the Disclaimant disclaims only this separately identified interest or portion (state law permits whole or partial disclaimers under § 29A-2-801(a)): [____________________]. For federal tax qualification, an undivided fraction or percentage must cover each substantial right for the interest's entire term; a pecuniary amount requires the separation of the amount and its income described in Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-3(c).

Legal description of any real property disclaimed (or see attached Exhibit A): [________________________________]

Type of interest: ☐ Present interest ☐ Future interest (passing on a later determining event under § 29A-2-801(b)(ii)/(e)(ii))


3. STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This Disclaimer is made under SDCL § 29A-2-801 (South Dakota Uniform Probate Code) and is intended to constitute a qualified disclaimer under 26 U.S.C. § 2518 and Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2.

  • SDCL § 29A-2-801(a) grants any person entitled to receive property or a beneficial interest, vested or otherwise, under a will, by intestate succession, as surviving joint tenant, under an inter vivos trust or other lifetime transfer, or as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement plan, or other contract, the right to disclaim irrevocably the whole or any part of that interest.
  • SDCL § 29A-2-801(b)–(e) prescribe the writing, the place of filing or delivery, and the nine-month deadline for each type of interest (see Sections 6 and 8).
  • SDCL § 29A-2-801(f) provides that the time to disclaim never expires until nine months after the Disclaimant attains age 21, and § 29A-2-801(i) provides that a disclaimer not made within the statutory time is construed as an assignment of the interest.
  • The means provided in § 29A-2-801 are not exclusive (§ 29A-2-801(h)); nothing prevents making the disclaimer in any other lawful manner.

4. THE DISCLAIMER

The Disclaimant, intending to be legally bound, hereby IRREVOCABLY DISCLAIMS and RENOUNCES all (or, where a partial disclaimer is elected in Section 2, the stated fractional, percentage, or pecuniary part of all) right, title, claim, and interest of every kind — whether vested or contingent, present or future, legal or equitable — in and to the property and beneficial interest described in Section 2 above.

This Disclaimer is made freely, voluntarily, and with full knowledge of its legal and tax consequences.


5. QUALIFIED-DISCLAIMER REPRESENTATIONS

The Disclaimant represents and certifies that:

☐ This Disclaimer is in writing and signed by the Disclaimant, and describes the interest disclaimed, as required by SDCL § 29A-2-801 and Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2(b).

☐ The deadline for this state-law disclaimer under the applicable subsection of SDCL § 29A-2-801(b)–(f) is [__/__/____], measured from [________________________________], and the required filing or delivery occurred on [__/__/____].

☐ The separate deadline for a federally qualified disclaimer under 26 U.S.C. § 2518(b)(2) and Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2(c) is [__/__/____], measured from the later of the transfer creating this interest or the Disclaimant's 21st birthday; the required delivery occurred on [__/__/____].

☐ The Disclaimant has NOT accepted the disclaimed interest or any of its benefits, and has not assigned, conveyed, encumbered, pledged, transferred, or contracted to transfer the interest (SDCL § 29A-2-801(k); 26 U.S.C. § 2518(b)(3)).

☐ The disclaimed interest passes without any direction on the part of the Disclaimant (26 U.S.C. § 2518(b)(4)).

☐ If this Disclaimer meets the applicable state filing or delivery and timing rule, the interest passes under the applicable provision of SDCL § 29A-2-801(b)–(e) as if the Disclaimant had predeceased the relevant date or event.


6. EFFECT AND PASSING OF THE DISCLAIMED INTEREST

Under SDCL § 29A-2-801, a timely disclaimer is retroactive to the Decedent's death, the date the transfer creating the interest was made, or the determining event (for a future interest), as applicable, and the disclaimed interest passes as if the person disclaiming had predeceased the Decedent or that event:

  • Will or intestacy — retroactive to the Decedent's death (present interest) or the determining event (future interest) (§ 29A-2-801(b)).
  • Surviving joint tenant — retroactive to the Decedent's death; the joint interest passes as if the surviving joint tenant had predeceased the Decedent (§ 29A-2-801(c)).
  • Life insurance, retirement plan, or other contract — retroactive to the Decedent's death (§ 29A-2-801(d)).
  • Inter vivos trust or lifetime transfer — retroactive to the creation of the interest (present interest) or the determining event (future interest) (§ 29A-2-801(e)).

The Disclaimant does not direct to whom the disclaimed interest passes; it passes solely by operation of the governing instrument and South Dakota law. Nothing herein prevents a testator or settlor from providing for a different disposition of disclaimed property (§ 29A-2-801(g)).


7. IRREVOCABILITY AND BINDING EFFECT

The right exercised by this Disclaimer is, by statute, to disclaim irrevocably (SDCL § 29A-2-801(a)). This Disclaimer may not be modified, withdrawn, or rescinded once filed or delivered, and it is binding upon the Disclaimant and all persons claiming through or under the Disclaimant.


8. FILING, DELIVERY, AND RECORDING

Pursuant to SDCL § 29A-2-801, the Disclaimant shall (check all that apply):

☐ File this Disclaimer in writing with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of [____________] County, South Dakota, in which the Decedent's estate is or was pending (interest receivable under a will or by intestate succession) (§ 29A-2-801(b)).

☐ File this Disclaimer with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in which the joint tenancy or estate proceeding is pending (disclaimer by a surviving joint tenant) (§ 29A-2-801(c)).

☐ File this Disclaimer with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in which the estate is pending; or, if no estate is pending, deliver it to the insurer, employer, or other issuer of the contract (interest as beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement plan, or other contract) (§ 29A-2-801(d)).

☐ Deliver this Disclaimer to the then-acting trustee, or to the donor or the personal representative of the donor's estate (interest under an inter vivos trust or lifetime transfer) (§ 29A-2-801(e)).

☐ Record a certified copy of this Disclaimer in the Office of the Register of Deeds of [____________] County, South Dakota, where any disclaimed real property is located. Recording is optional and does not replace the applicable filing or delivery route; failure to record does not invalidate a disclaimer under § 29A-2-801(l).


9. SIGNATURE, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, AND NOTARIZATION

Executed this [____] day of [____________], 20[____].

Disclaimant Signature: ______________________________________

Printed Name: [________________________________]


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA )
COUNTY OF [____________] )

On this [____] day of [____________], 20[____], before me, the undersigned officer, personally appeared [DISCLAIMANT FULL LEGAL NAME], known to me (or satisfactorily proven) to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that he/she executed the same as his/her free act and deed.

______________________________________
Notary Public — State of South Dakota
My commission expires: [__/__/____]

[NOTARY SEAL]


10. VERIFICATION / DECLARATION

I, [DISCLAIMANT FULL LEGAL NAME], certify that the foregoing is true and correct, that I have not accepted the disclaimed interest or any benefit thereof, and that I make this Disclaimer of my own free will.

Signature: ______________________________________
Date: [__/__/____]


11. CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY / SERVICE

I certify that on the date(s) shown below this Disclaimer was filed or delivered to the following recipients by the methods recorded below:

Recipient Capacity (Clerk / PR / Trustee / Insurer / Issuer / Donor) Address Method Date
[____________________] [____________] [____________________] [____________] [__/__/____]
[____________________] [____________] [____________________] [____________] [__/__/____]
[____________________] [____________] [____________________] [____________] [__/__/____]

Signature: ______________________________________
Printed Name: [________________________________]


12. ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST

☐ Copy of the Last Will and Testament, trust instrument, or beneficiary designation/contract creating the disclaimed interest
☐ Exhibit A — legal description of any real property disclaimed
☐ Certified copy of the Decedent's Death Certificate
☐ Proof of delivery / mailing (registered or certified mail receipts)
☐ Copy of the recorded Disclaimer (Register of Deeds), if real property is involved
☐ File-stamped copy from the Clerk of the Circuit Court (estate proceeding)


SOURCES AND REFERENCES

  • SDCL § 29A-2-801 (Disclaimer of property interest) — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/29A-2-801
  • 26 U.S.C. § 2518 (Disclaimers) — https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t26/s2518/
  • Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2 (Requirements for a qualified disclaimer) — https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/section-25.2518-2
  • Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-3 (Disclaimer of less than an entire interest) — https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/section-25.2518-3

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About this template

Last updated
November 1, 2026
Citations checked
November 1, 2026
Jurisdiction
South Dakota
Category
Estate Planning & Wills

Legal authority

  • SDCL § 29A-2-801 (Disclaimer of property interest — South Dakota Uniform Probate Code)
  • 26 U.S.C. § 2518 (Internal Revenue Code — qualified disclaimers)
  • Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2 (Requirements for a qualified disclaimer)
  • Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-3 (Disclaimer of less than an entire interest)

Estate planning documents decide what happens to your property, your children, and your medical care when you cannot make those decisions yourself. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives each serve different purposes and each have to meet state law requirements for signing, witnessing, and notarization. A document that looks fine on the page but was not executed correctly can be rejected in probate, which is exactly when it is too late to fix.

Not legal advice

This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.

Checked against the law it cites

A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on November 1, 2026.

Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-2 (checked November 1, 2026): "A disclaimer is a qualified disclaimer only if it is in writing. The writing must identify the interest in property disclaimed and be signed either by the disclaimant or by the disclaimant's legal representative."

Treas. Reg. § 25.2518-3 (checked November 1, 2026): "If the requirements of this section are met, the disclaimer of all or an undivided portion of any separate interest in property may be a qualified disclaimer"

26 C.F.R. § 25.2518-2(c)(2) (checked November 1, 2026): "A timely mailing of a disclaimer to the person described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is treated as a timely delivery if the mailing requirements under paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2) and (d) of § 301.7502-1 are met."

SDCL § 29A-2-801(i) (checked November 1, 2026): "A disclaimer not made within the time limits prescribed by this section shall be construed as an assignment of the interest disclaimed to the persons who would be entitled to take had the disclaimer been timely made."

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