Estate Tax Calculator
Modify the values and click calculate
Estate Details
Estimated Estate Tax
Enter your estate details to estimate federal estate tax.
This calculator provides an educational estimate only and is not tax or legal advice. Consult a qualified estate planning professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Understanding Federal Estate Tax
The federal estate tax is a tax on the transfer of a person's assets at death. Most estates never owe a dollar of it, because the vast majority of estates fall below the federal exemption -- a threshold set in the tens of millions of dollars. This calculator estimates the tax owed on the portion of an estate that exceeds that exemption.
Most Estates Owe Nothing
The federal exemption is high enough that the overwhelming majority of estates in the US owe no federal estate tax at all -- only the value above the exemption is ever taxed.
Lifetime Gifts Count Too
The federal exemption is unified across gifts made during life and assets transferred at death -- large taxable gifts given years earlier reduce the exemption still available at death.
This Is a Simplification
The real federal estate tax schedule is graduated, starting at 18% and only reaching the top 40% rate near the top of a fairly narrow bracket range. This calculator deliberately uses a flat 40% top-rate approximation on the taxable excess instead of modeling every graduated bracket, to keep the estimate simple and directional.
The Exemption Changes Every Year
The federal exemption is adjusted for inflation annually and can also change due to legislation -- this calculator pre-fills the current figure but lets you edit it to model a different year or a proposed change in law.
Worked Example
A $15,000,000 estate with no prior taxable gifts, against the Tax Year 2024 exemption of $13,610,000:
- Taxable estate: $15,000,000 − $13,610,000 = $1,390,000.
- Estimated estate tax (flat 40% approximation): $1,390,000 × 0.40 = $556,000.
A smaller $10,000,000 estate against the same exemption falls entirely below the threshold: taxable estate is $0, so no federal estate tax is owed.
$15,000,000 Estate
- Taxable Estate: $1,390,000
- Estimated Tax: $556,000
A Note on Accuracy
This tool intentionally simplifies the real federal estate tax calculation. The actual IRS schedule is graduated across roughly a dozen brackets that start at 18% and climb to 40%, with the 40% top rate applying only to the portion of a taxable estate exceeding roughly $1 million above the base -- a detail this calculator does not model. It also does not account for the marital deduction (unlimited transfers to a surviving spouse are generally untaxed), portability of a deceased spouse's unused exemption, state-level estate or inheritance taxes (which have their own, often much lower, thresholds), or valuation discounts. Treat this as a directional, back-of-the-envelope estimate -- always consult a qualified estate planning attorney or tax professional for an actual estate.
Key Takeaways
- Below the Exemption, Nothing Is Owed: Only the value of an estate (plus prior taxable gifts) above the federal exemption is ever taxed.
- Gifts and Estates Share One Exemption: Large lifetime gifts use up exemption that would otherwise be available at death.
- This Is a Flat-Rate Approximation: The real schedule is graduated from 18% to 40% -- this tool uses a simplified flat top rate on the taxable excess and says so upfront.
- The Exemption Is Editable for a Reason: It changes with inflation and legislation every year -- verify the current figure and don't treat this as legal or tax advice.