Beneficiaries of an inheritance in California typically do not have to pay income taxes on the inherited assets. That is because inherited assets are generally not taxable income for individual beneficiaries.
Most estimates assume the decedent bears the estate tax, primarily because of data limitations. There is good reason to believe that heirs most often bear the tax in the form of lower inheritances. When the burdens are analyzed this way, individuals inheriting over $1 million are likely to bear most of the estate tax.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California has issued an opinion finding that the executors of the estate, the trustees of the family trust, and the beneficiaries of the estate who received distributions from the estate are liable for unpaid estate taxes.
Federal and state estate taxes are paid from the assets of your estate before the remaining assets can be distributed to your heirs. The executor or the trustee, as applicable, is responsible for filing the required federal and state estate tax returns and ensuring that all taxes are paid from the estate.
What Is the Estate Tax Exemption? The federal estate tax exclusion exempts from the value of an estate up to $13.61 million in 2024, up from $12.92 million in 2023. 1 Only the value over these thresholds is subject to estate tax.
The personal representative of an estate is an executor, administrator, or anyone else in charge of the decedent's property. The personal representative is responsible for filing any final individual income tax return(s) and the estate tax return of the decedent when due.
Generally, no. The estate itself is legally liable for the deceased's debt. However, executors or beneficiaries may be personally liable if they co-signed for a loan, jointly owned a credit card or bank account, or otherwise assumed joint liability for a debt.
California has one of the most detailed schemes, which provides that the executor fee is four percent of the first $100,000 of the estate, three percent of the next $100,000, two percent of the next $800,000, one percent on the next $9 million, one-half of one percent on the next $15 million, and a “reasonable amount" ...
Estate Expenses Paid by Beneficiary
Final expenses not covered by the estate or by a life insurance policy. Personal travel expenses. Legal fees should you decide to contest the will. Property maintenance or transportation costs not covered by the estate.
Many people worry about the estate tax affecting the inheritance they pass along to their children, but it's not a reality most people will face. In 2025, the first $13,990,000 of an estate is exempt from federal estate taxes, up from $13,610,000 in 2024. Estate taxes are based on the size of the estate.
Most relatively simple estates (cash, publicly traded securities, small amounts of other easily valued assets, and no special deductions or elections, or jointly held property) do not require the filing of an estate tax return.
Generally, beneficiaries do not pay income tax on money or property that they inherit, but there are exceptions for retirement accounts, life insurance proceeds, and savings bond interest. Money inherited from a 401(k), 403(b), or IRA is taxable if that money was tax deductible when it was contributed.
You don't need to report a cash inheritance on your federal return. The IRS doesn't impose an inheritance tax. Only a handful of states (Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) have some kind of inheritance tax.
An estate tax return is required if the gross value of the estate is over a certain threshold. For individuals who die in 2025, the threshold is $13.99 million (up from $13.61 million in 2024). Almost anything belonging to the deceased with a tangible cash value is included in the value of the estate.
The executor of a will can take everything only if they are the sole beneficiary of a decedent's estate and all of the decedent's debts have been paid.
All personal representatives must include fees paid to them from an estate in their gross income. If you aren't in the trade or business of being an executor (for instance, you are the executor of a friend's or relative's estate), report these fees on your Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8.
As an executor, you must provide a formal accounting at least once a year, but beneficiaries can request an informal probate accounting in California at any time. When they do, you must produce it.
Be sure that all debts, taxes, and expenses are paid or provided for before distributing any property to beneficiaries because you may be held personally liable if insufficient assets do not remain to meet estate expenses.
When a loved one passes away, you'll have a lot to take care of, including their finances. It's important to remember that credit card debt does not automatically go away when someone dies. It must be paid by the estate or the co-signers on the account.
Generally, you must file the return within nine months of the date of death. It's up to you to ensure that this obligation is met. What happens if you fail to file the return on time? The estate could be hit with interest and penalties on top of any federal estate tax that's due.
Funeral expenses aren't tax deductible for individuals, and they're only tax exempt for some estates. Estates worth $11.58 million or more need to file federal tax returns, and only 13 states require them. For this reason, most can't claim tax deductions.
Inheritance checks are generally not reported to the IRS unless they involve cash or cash equivalents exceeding $10,000. Banks and financial institutions are required to report such transactions using Form 8300. Most inheritances are paid by regular check, wire transfer, or other means that don't qualify for reporting.