Some choices include creating an emergency fund, paying off high-cost debt, building up retirement savings, saving for kids' educations and buying personal luxuries. While you won't owe taxes on an inheritance, earnings from the funds are subject to income taxes.
Key Takeaways. If you inherit a large amount of money, take your time in deciding what to do with it. A federally insured bank or credit union account can be a good, safe place to park the money while you make your decisions. Paying off high-interest debts such as credit card debt is one good use for an inheritance.
Large inheritances vary considerably, but it's safe to say that anything over $100,000 falls into this category. Whether you inherit a hundred thousand dollars or upwards of a million, a large inheritance can feel intimidating, especially if you don't already have substantial wealth built up.
The Basic Rule: Inheritances Aren't Taxed as Income
It doesn't matter how the property passes to the inheritor. Whether the property passes under the terms of a will or trust, or the inheritor was a designated beneficiary (for example, a payable-on-death bank account), it's not taxable income.
What Is the Federal Inheritance Tax Rate? There is no federal inheritance tax—that is, a tax on the sum of assets an individual receives from a deceased person. However, a federal estate tax applies to estates larger than $11.7 million for 2021 and $12.06 million for 2022.
The IRS will monitor and review her income tax return each year, to determine whether the taxpayers have the capability to be placed on an installment payment arrangement. When she gets the inheritance, she would have to report the income for that tax year.
The 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) found that the average inheritance in the U.S. is $110,050 for the middle class. Yet an HSBC survey found that Americans in retirement expect to leave nearly $177,000 to their heirs. As it turns out, the passing of property and assets doesn't always go as expected or planned.
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.
You can deposit it, spend it, invest it, or whatever else takes your fancy. Just take a second to think about taxes first — if you're going to owe tax on some other part of the inheritance, your cash is probably the best way to pay them.
Inheritances are not considered income for federal tax purposes, whether you inherit cash, investments or property. However, any subsequent earnings on the inherited assets are taxable, unless it comes from a tax-free source.
This is done by the person dealing with the estate (called the 'executor', if there's a will). Your beneficiaries (the people who inherit your estate) do not normally pay tax on things they inherit. They may have related taxes to pay, for example if they get rental income from a house left to them in a will.
When someone dies, tax will normally be paid from their estate before any money is distributed to their heirs. Usually when you inherit something, there's no tax to pay immediately but you might have to pay tax later.
An Inheritance Can Impact SSI Benefits
If you are the beneficiary of an inheritance, you are required by federal law to report it to the Social Security Administration, even if you choose not to accept the inheritance.
We find that inheritance size is highly correlated with income, particularly at the top end of the income distribution; the bulk of inheritances are received between the ages of 46 and 75; and that most inheritances come from parents.
In 2022, an individual can leave $12.06 million to heirs and pay no federal estate or gift tax, while a married couple can shield $24.12 million. For a couple who already maxed out lifetime gifts, the new higher exemption means that there's room for them to give away another $720,000 in 2022.
For 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, the annual exclusion is $15,000. For 2022, the annual exclusion is $16,000.
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).
It's generally better to receive real estate as an inheritance rather than as an outright gift because of capital gains implications. The deceased probably paid much less for the property than its fair market value in the year of death if they owned the real estate for any length of time.
If you give more than $15,000 in cash or assets (for example, stocks, land, a new car) in a year to any one person, you need to file a gift tax return. That doesn't mean you have to pay a gift tax. It just means you need to file IRS Form 709 to disclose the gift.
Investing Could Be a Better Financial Plan
If you purchased your home within the last decade—or had it refinanced—you're likely paying a fairly low interest rate. If you use money you have saved up (or inherited) to pay off your mortgage, sure, you'll save on interest.