United States · Estate and gift tax · 2011 to 2027
Estate tax exemption by year.
The federal basic exclusion amount for every year of death from 2011 to 2027, with the annual gift exclusion beside it.
Short answer: The federal estate tax basic exclusion amount was $5,000,000 for a death in 2011, $5,490,000 in 2017, $11,180,000 in 2018, $15,000,000 in 2026 and is $15,480,000 for 2027. The annual gift exclusion per recipient is $19,000 for 2025 and 2026 and $20,000 for 2027. The 2027 figures come from IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-35.
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The basic exclusion amount, year by year
The IRS publishes the basic exclusion amount for the year of death on its estate and gift tax page. Read on November 11, 2026, that table runs from 2011 to 2026. The 2027 amount is from Revenue Procedure 2026-35, section 3.44, which sets the 2027 basic exclusion amount at $15,480,000. The annual gift exclusion column follows the IRS table for 2011 to 2026 and section 3.46 of the same Revenue Procedure for 2027. The change column is our arithmetic, labelled derived.
| Year | Basic exclusion amount | Change from prior year (derived) | Annual gift exclusion per donee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | $15,480,000 | +$480,000 | $20,000 |
| 2026 | $15,000,000 | +$1,010,000 | $19,000 |
| 2025 | $13,990,000 | +$380,000 | $19,000 |
| 2024 | $13,610,000 | +$690,000 | $18,000 |
| 2023 | $12,920,000 | +$860,000 | $17,000 |
| 2022 | $12,060,000 | +$360,000 | $16,000 |
| 2021 | $11,700,000 | +$120,000 | $15,000 |
| 2020 | $11,580,000 | +$180,000 | $15,000 |
| 2019 | $11,400,000 | +$220,000 | $15,000 |
| 2018 | $11,180,000 | +$5,690,000 | $15,000 |
| 2017 | $5,490,000 | +$40,000 | $14,000 |
| 2016 | $5,450,000 | +$20,000 | $14,000 |
| 2015 | $5,430,000 | +$90,000 | $14,000 |
| 2014 | $5,340,000 | +$90,000 | $14,000 |
| 2013 | $5,250,000 | +$130,000 | $14,000 |
| 2012 | $5,120,000 | +$120,000 | $13,000 |
| 2011 | $5,000,000 | n/a | $13,000 |
What the numbers mean
The basic exclusion amount is the value of a person's transfers, at death or by taxable gifts during life, that can pass free of federal estate and gift tax. The Revenue Procedure says it is used to work out the applicable credit against estate tax and against gift tax, and also the generation-skipping transfer exemption amount. The IRS also says that for decedents survived by a spouse, the unused part of the exclusion can be passed to the surviving spouse by electing portability on a timely filed estate tax return, so the amount that matters for a couple can differ from the table.
The jump in 2018 and the 2026 reset
The table shows two large steps. The amount was $5,490,000 for 2017 and $11,180,000 for 2018, so it more than doubled in one year. The second step is 2026: the IRS page says the Working Families Tax Cuts Bill, signed July 4, 2025 as Public Law 119-21, amended section 2010(c)(3) to increase the basic exclusion amount to $15,000,000 for calendar year 2026. From there the amount is indexed for inflation, and Rev. Proc. 2026-35 gives $15,480,000 for 2027, an increase of $480,000, or 3.2 percent.
Which year to use
For the estate tax, use the year the person died. For gifts, use the year the gift was made. A common mistake is to use the current year's amount for a death that happened earlier. The table lets you read the right row, or compare two years to see how much room moved between them.
Worked example
A person died in 2024 with a gross estate of $14,000,000. The 2024 basic exclusion amount was $13,610,000, so the estate is $390,000 over the exclusion before deductions, the marital deduction and prior taxable gifts. Had the same person died in 2026, the exclusion is $15,000,000 and the same $14,000,000 is $1,000,000 under it. The calculator does this subtraction and labels it a screen, because the real taxable estate is worked out on Form 706 after deductions.
Method
The 2011 to 2026 amounts are copied from the two tables on the IRS "What's new: Estate and gift tax" page, and the 2027 amounts from sections 3.44 and 3.46 of Revenue Procedure 2026-35, all read on November 11, 2026. The change column subtracts the prior year's amount from each year's amount, and the comparison percentage divides that difference by the earlier year. The gross estate screen subtracts the exclusion from the number you type. Nothing is stored or sent.
What this does not cover
- Years before 2011, which this table does not cover.
- State estate or inheritance tax thresholds, which differ from the federal figure.
- Deductions, the marital deduction, portability, prior taxable gifts and the tax rate schedule.
- The tax owed on any particular estate or gift.
Figures read from the sources below on November 11, 2026. Last updated November 11, 2026.
Sources
- IRS: What's new, Estate and gift tax (basic exclusion and annual exclusion tables) (retrieved November 11, 2026)
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-35: 2027 adjusted items (sections 3.44 and 3.46) (retrieved November 11, 2026)
- 26 U.S.C. 2010: unified credit against estate tax (Cornell LII) (retrieved November 11, 2026)
Common mix-ups
-
Often assumedThe estate tax exemption was $5 million until a recent change.
What the source saysThe IRS table shows $5,490,000 for 2017 and $11,180,000 for 2018, so the amount more than doubled in 2018, and the IRS says the basic exclusion amount rises to $15,000,000 for calendar year 2026. [1]
-
Often assumedThe gift exclusion and the estate exemption are the same number.
What the source saysRev. Proc. 2026-35 sets the 2027 basic exclusion amount at $15,480,000 and, separately, the annual gift exclusion at $20,000 per person for 2027. [2]
-
Often assumedUse this year's amount for any death.
What the source saysThe IRS table is labelled by year of death, so an estate uses the amount for the year the decedent died, for example $13,610,000 for 2024. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What is the federal estate tax exemption for 2027?
$15,480,000 for a death in 2027, set by IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-35.
What was the estate tax exemption in 2026?
$15,000,000, after the Working Families Tax Cuts Bill raised the basic exclusion amount for calendar year 2026.
What was the estate tax exemption in 2017 and 2018?
$5,490,000 for 2017 and $11,180,000 for 2018, according to the IRS table.
What is the annual gift tax exclusion for 2027?
$20,000 per recipient, under Revenue Procedure 2026-35.
How much did the exclusion rise from 2026 to 2027?
$480,000, from $15,000,000 to $15,480,000, which is 3.2 percent (derived).
Is the estate tax exemption the same as the gift exemption?
The basic exclusion amount is used for both, but the annual gift exclusion is a separate, much smaller per-recipient amount.
Can a surviving spouse use the unused exclusion?
The IRS says the unused exclusion of a decedent survived by a spouse may pass to the spouse by electing portability on a timely filed estate tax return.
Not financial or legal advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are the published amounts read from the sources below and can change; check the official source or a tax professional before you rely on a number. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. It runs in your browser.