Federal Estate Tax Calculator
Estimate your potential Federal Estate Tax liability and determine how much inheritance your heirs will receive.
Assets
Liability, Costs, and Deductibles
Lifetime Gifted Amount
Tax Efficiency
Asset Distribution
Could my estate exceed the federal exemption?
Add the modeled assets and deductions, choose the year, and enter exemption already used. The calculator applies a simplified 40% estimate to the modeled excess. It is not a full estate-tax return and does not automatically determine state taxes or portability eligibility.
Try this toolRelated Tools
View AllEmergency Fund Calc
Set an emergency savings goal using monthly expenses and your target months of coverage. See your savings shortfall and how many months you can cover.
Salary Calculator
Estimate US take-home pay from hourly, monthly, or annual salary. See federal tax, FICA, and adjustable state tax deductions with 2026 assumptions.
Mortgage Calculator
Estimate monthly mortgage payments with property tax, insurance, PMI, and HOA fees. Adjust your down payment and interest rate, then view amortization.
How to use this calculator
Understanding the Federal Estate Tax
The Federal Estate Tax is a tax on your right to transfer property at your death. It consists of an accounting of everything you own or have certain interests in at the date of death. Fortunately, the vast majority of estates do not owe any federal estate tax due to the generous lifetime exemption amount.
Our **Estate Tax Calculator** helps you estimate your gross estate value and potential tax liability. By factoring in the current year's exemption limit and allowable deductions, you can see if your heirs might fac a tax bill or if your estate falls safely within the tax-free threshold.
What is Included in the Gross Estate?
The "Gross Estate" includes the fair market value of all assets you own at the time of death, not just cash. This typically encompasses:
- Real estate (homes, land, investment properties)
- Cash, bank accounts, and CDs
- Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
- Life insurance proceeds (if you owned the policy)
- Business interests and partnerships
- Retirement accounts (IRAs, 401ks)
- Personal property (artwork, jewelry, vehicles)
Key Deductions & Strategies
Marital Deduction
One of the most powerful provisions is the unlimited marital deduction. You can generally leave any amount of assets to your U.S. citizen spouse completely tax-free. This defers the tax until the surviving spouse dies.
Charitable Deduction
Any assessed value of your estate that you bequeath to a qualified charity is 100% deductible. This reduces your taxable estate dollar-for-dollar.
Debts & Expenses
Liabilities such as mortgages, credit card debt, funeral expenses, and estate administration costs (legal/executor fees) are deducted from the gross estate before calculating the tax.
Annual Gifting
You can give away a certain amount per person per year (e.g., $19,000 in 2026) without it counting against your lifetime exemption. This is a simple way to reduce the size of your taxable estate over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
2026 figures checked on . Source: IRS estate and gift tax updates. Results remain estimates based on the assumptions shown.