Estate tax calculator
Most estates owe no tax. But 16 states and D.C. have their own estate or inheritance taxes, with exemptions as low as $1 million.
Include everything: home equity, retirement accounts, life insurance death benefit, investments, business interests, personal property.
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How estates reduce tax exposure
- •Marital deduction: Assets passing to a surviving spouse who is a U.S. citizen are generally free of federal estate tax. For a spouse who is not a citizen, the same result usually requires a qualified domestic trust (QDOT).
- •Annual gift exclusion: You can give up to $19,000 per person per year (2026) without gift tax. Reduces your taxable estate over time.
- •Life insurance trust: Life insurance held in a special trust (called an irrevocable life insurance trust) is generally excluded from your taxable estate. A policy transferred into the trust within three years of death is still counted.
- •Revocable living trust: Does not reduce estate taxes by itself, but assets titled in it pass outside probate, which simplifies estate administration.
- •Charitable giving: Gifts to qualified charities reduce the taxable estate dollar-for-dollar.
This calculator provides rough estimates for educational purposes only. It does not account for all deductions, credits, trusts, or planning strategies. Tax laws change frequently. Consult an estate planning attorney or CPA for advice specific to your situation.
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