United States · Estate planning
Federal estate and gift tax calculator.
Estimate federal estate tax on a taxable estate, or see how a year of gifts uses the annual exclusion and the lifetime exclusion. Figures are editable so you can model other years.
For 2026 the federal basic exclusion amount is $15,000,000 per person and the annual gift exclusion is $19,000 per recipient. Taxable amounts above the exclusion are taxed at up to 40% under the IRS unified rate schedule. A spouse’s unused exclusion can add to yours if elected (portability).
Your figures
Your estimate
How the estimate is built
Following the IRS Form 706 Part II tax computation: taxable estate = gross estate − deductions; tax base = taxable estate + adjusted taxable gifts; tentative tax = the tax on that base from the Unified Rate Schedule (Table A in the Form 706 instructions, from 18% on the first $10,000 up to 40% above $1,000,000); then subtract gift tax already paid and the credit on the applicable exclusion (basic exclusion + DSUE, run through the same table). Because the exclusion is far above $1,000,000, the result equals 40% of the amount by which the base exceeds the exclusion.
Worked example
A $20,000,000 taxable estate with no earlier gifts: tentative tax is $7,945,800; the credit on a $15,000,000 exclusion is $5,945,800; the estate tax is $2,000,000, which is 40% of the $5,000,000 over the exclusion. The form is preloaded with this example.
Gifts
Gifts to a person up to the annual exclusion ($19,000 for 2026) do not use any lifetime exclusion. The part above it is a taxable gift that reduces the lifetime exclusion; gift tax is due only after the lifetime exclusion is used up. Gift-splitting between spouses doubles the annual exclusion per recipient when elected on Form 709.
What this page does not do
- State estate and inheritance taxes are separate and several apply at far lower thresholds. Enter any state estate tax you expect as a deduction only if you know the rules.
- It ignores the generation-skipping transfer tax, alternate valuation, special-use valuation, taxable gifts of future interests, gifts to non-citizen spouses, the lifetime exclusion in years other than the figure you enter, and the marital and charitable rules that produce your deductions.
- The basic exclusion is a statutory figure indexed for inflation after 2026. It is shown for 2026 only; edit it for another year after checking the IRS table.
Official sources: IRS Instructions for Form 706, Table A, Unified Rate Schedule and IRS What’s New, Estate and Gift Tax (basic exclusion $15,000,000 for 2026; annual exclusion $19,000 for 2026), both read October 4, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the federal estate tax exemption for 2026?
The basic exclusion amount is $15,000,000 per person for 2026, according to the IRS, following Public Law 119-21.
How much can I give away each year without gift tax?
Up to $19,000 per recipient in 2026 falls within the annual exclusion. Larger gifts do not necessarily trigger tax: they reduce your lifetime exclusion first.
Does a married couple get a double exemption?
A surviving spouse can add a deceased spouse's unused exclusion (DSUE) if portability was elected on a timely Form 706. Enter it in the DSUE field.
Do I owe state estate tax too?
Possibly. Some states levy their own estate or inheritance tax with different thresholds. This page covers federal tax only.
Estimate only
This page is educational and is not legal or tax advice. Estate and gift tax depends on valuation, elections and state law; consult an estate-planning attorney or tax professional. Calculations run in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.