Income Tax CalculatorSpecialized Version
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Estate Tax Calculator

Estate tax

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates only and does not constitute tax advice. Actual taxes may vary based on individual circumstances. Consult a tax professional for accurate tax planning.

Estate Tax Calculator

Calculate federal estate tax on wealth transfers at death. Most estates pay no tax due to the generous exemption, but large estates face rates up to 40%.

2024 Estate Tax Exemption

Filing StatusExemption
Individual$13.61 million
Married (portability)$27.22 million
Estates below these thresholds owe no federal estate tax.

Estate Tax Rates

Taxable EstateRate
$0 - $10,00018%
$10,001 - $20,00020%
$20,001 - $40,00022%
......
Over $1,000,00040%
*After exemption, rates start at 18% and quickly reach 40%

Estate Tax Calculation

``javascript function calculateEstateTax(grossEstate, deductions = 0) { const exemption = 13610000; // 2024 const taxableEstate = Math.max(0, grossEstate - deductions - exemption);

// Simplified: flat 40% on amounts over exemption const estateTax = taxableEstate * 0.40;

return { grossEstate, exemption, taxableEstate, estateTax, effectiveRate: (estateTax / grossEstate * 100).toFixed(2) + '%' }; } ``

Planning Strategies

StrategyPurpose
Lifetime giftsUse annual exclusion ($18k/person)
Irrevocable trustsRemove assets from estate
Charitable givingReduce taxable estate
Life insurance trustsExclude policy from estate

Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays estate tax?

Only estates exceeding $13.61 million (2024) owe federal estate tax. With portability, married couples can effectively exempt $27.22 million. Less than 0.1% of estates pay any federal estate tax. State estate taxes may apply at lower thresholds.

What is portability for estate tax?

Portability allows a surviving spouse to use the deceased spouse's unused estate tax exemption. If the first spouse dies with $10 million estate, their $3.61 million unused exemption transfers to the survivor, giving them a $17.22 million total exemption.

Will the estate tax exemption change?

The current high exemption ($13.61M) is set to sunset in 2026, potentially reverting to ~$6-7 million (inflation-adjusted from 2017 levels). Congress could extend current levels, but planning should consider possible changes.

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