Estate Tax Planning Guide (2026) - Federal & State Exemptions
Estate tax planning guide: federal exemption $13.99M, state exemptions, gifting strategies, and wealth transfer optimization.
Summary
Federal estate tax exemption: $13.99M (2026), 40% rate above exemption. State estate tax: 12 states with separate exemptions ($1M-$13.99M). Strategies: annual gift exclusion $18K, lifetime gifting, trusts, charitable giving.
Key Steps
- 1Federal exemption: $13.99M per person (2026), doubles for married couples.
- 2Tax rate: 40% on estate value above exemption threshold.
- 3State estate tax: 12 states have separate exemptions (CT $13.99M, NY $6.94M).
- 4Annual gift exclusion: $18K per recipient (2026), reduces estate.
- 5Trust strategies: irrevocable trusts remove assets from estate.