Tax Data
Estate and Gift Taxes
The federal government taxes transfers of wealth in three ways: through the estate tax, the gift tax and the generation-skipping transfer tax. Together these taxes make up the federal transfer tax system. In addition, many U.S. states impose estate taxes. Estate taxes and generation-skipping transfer taxes are paid on the contents of estates or proceeds of trusts, while transfers of wealth between living persons are subject to gift taxes. The federal government enacted the first estate tax in 1916. Studies routinely find that estate taxes discourage entrepreneurship and lead to large tax compliance costs.
Additional questions about estate taxes? Contact Bill Ahern at (202) 464-5101.
Tax Data from The Tax Foundation
- Federal Estate Tax Collections, by State and Per Capita, 2006, June 5, 2007
- State Estate and Gift Tax Collections, by State and Per Capita, 2006, June 5, 2007
- Fraction of Each Quintile's Total Tax Burden Accounted for by Each Type of Tax, Calendar Year 2004 , April 1, 2007
- Average Dollar Tax Burdens by Type of Federal Tax, Per Household, Calendar Year 2004 , April 1, 2007