Estate, Gift and GST Tax Exclusions Increased

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubles the basic exclusion amount for federal estate and gift taxes and the exemption amount for the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax. For the estates of decedents dying and gifts made after 2017 and before 2026, the amount increases from $5 million to $10 million, as adjusted for inflation.

Estate and gift tax exclusion doubled

For the estates of decedents dying and gifts made after 2017 and before 2026, the basic exclusion amount for purposes of federal estate and gift taxes is doubled from $5 million to $10 million, as adjusted for inflation. Accordingly, the estate and gift tax basic exclusion amount applicable to the estates of decedents dying and gifts made in 2018 is estimated to be over $11 million, as adjusted for inflation. For a married couple using portability, the maximum applicable exclusion amount would be doubled again, estimated to be more than $22 million.

Example: A wealthy widow dies in 2018, leaving a taxable estate of $20 million. Her late husband died earlier in 2018, having used only $2 million of his available estate tax exclusion amount. Her estate will owe no federal estate tax. However, if the couple had died under the same circumstances in 2017, the estate tax payable would have been $4,408,000.

Because the doubling of the estate and gift tax exclusion amount expires for decedents dying and gifts made after December 31, 2025, the next several years present a tremendous opportunity for wealthy individuals and married couples to make large gifts, including those that leverage the amount of the available exclusion, such as those to grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs).

GST tax exemption amount

Because the exemption from the GST tax is computed by reference to the basic exclusion amount used for estate and gift tax purposes, the GST exemption amount for GSTs occurring in 2018 is also estimated to be more than $11 million. Portability does not apply for purposes of the GST tax.

To learn more about these tax issues, contact your HW&Co. tax advisor.