In 2025, the first $13,990,000 of an estate is exempt from federal estate taxes, up from $13,610,000 in 2024.
If you received a gift or inheritance, do not include it in your income. However, if the gift or inheritance later produces income, you will need to pay tax on that income.
Certain types of assets are also exempt, or partially exempt, from inheritance tax. In particular, pension pots are not treated as part of an individual's estate, and agricultural and business property can attract either 50% or 100% relief.
States with inheritance taxes (Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) also use various exemptions and tax rates. For example, in New Jersey, surviving spouses, parents, children, and grandchildren are all exempt from the tax.
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.
The federal government doesn't have an inheritance tax. As of 2024, six states impose an inheritance tax: Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
The lifetime gift/estate tax exemption was $11.7 million in 2021. The lifetime gift/estate tax exemption was $12.06 million in 2022. The lifetime gift/estate tax exemption was $12.92 million in 2023. The lifetime gift/estate tax exemption is $13.61 million in 2024 and 2025.
Gifting Money to Younger Children or Grandchildren. Gifting to younger children or grandchildren follows similar tax rules as gifting to adults. You can gift up to the annual exclusion amount per child ($18,000 in 2024) without triggering gift tax. For larger gifts, use the lifetime exemption and file IRS Form 709.
Strategies to transfer wealth without a heavy tax burden include creating an irrevocable trust, engaging in annual gifting, forming a family limited partnership, or forming a generation-skipping transfer trust.
Many states assess an inheritance tax. That means that you, as the beneficiary, will have to pay taxes when you receive an inheritance. How much you'll be assessed depends on the state you live in, the size of your inheritance, the types of assets included, and your relationship with the deceased.
Therefore, inheritances do not impact eligibility, and no reporting requirements exist for inheritances or assets received. Before assuming an inheritance will forfeit your benefits, check which program you receive—SSI or SSDI.
The total value of gifts the individual gave to at least one person (other than his or her spouse) is more than the annual exclusion amount for the year. The annual exclusion amount for 2025 is $19,000 and for 2024 is $18,000.
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.
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.
Including the District of Columbia, 19 states currently have a state estate or inheritance tax. These states are Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.
From this perspective, if you are inclined to give, you should gift as much as you can comfortably afford during your lifetime, while remaining aware of the available step-up in capital gain basis for inherited assets. So, gift your assets that have minimal gains and save your most appreciated assets for inheritance.
You don't have to report gifts to the IRS unless the amount exceeds $18,000 in 2024 (increasing to $19,000 in 2025). Any gifts exceeding $18,000 in a year must be reported and contribute to your lifetime exclusion amount.
In these circumstances, a trust can help set up specific management plans for your assets, provide tax benefits and give your beneficiaries time to adjust to having assets held for them. If you have a straightforward estate and mature adult children, leaving assets outright to them might be appropriate.
An inheritance tax is levied on the value of the inheritance received by the beneficiary, and it is paid by the beneficiary. There is no federal inheritance tax. Inherited assets may be taxed for residents of Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Bottom Line. California doesn't enforce a gift tax, but you may owe a federal one. However, you can give up to $19,000 in cash or property during the 2025 tax year and up to $18,000 in the 2024 tax year without triggering a gift tax return.
Another key difference: While there is no federal inheritance tax, there is a federal estate tax. The federal estate tax generally applies to assets over $13.61 million in 2024 and $13.99 million in 2025, and the federal estate tax rate ranges from 18% to 40%.
Any tax due will normally be taken out of the deceased's estate, and the executor will usually take care of it. This means you won't need to declare inheritance money to HMRC – an inheritance isn't classed as income, and therefore isn't taxable.
This means that when the beneficiary withdraws those monies from the accounts, the beneficiary will receive a 1099 from the company administering the plan and must report that income on their income tax return (and must pay income taxes on the sum).
Income from working at a job or other source could affect Social Security and SSDI benefits. However, receiving an inheritance won't affect Social Security and SSDI benefits. SSI is a federal program that pays benefits to U.S. citizens who are over age 65, blind or disabled and who have limited income and resources.