Center for Federal Tax Policy

Estate, Inheritance 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.

Measuring the Economic and Distributional Effects of the Final Fiscal Cliff Bill

January 2, 2013

Modeling the Economic and Distributional Effects of the Senate Tax Bill

January 1, 2013

The Fiscal Cliff was Created Two Years Ago Today

December 17, 2012

Raising Revenue: The Least Worst Options

December 5, 2012

Diving Off the Fiscal Cliff: An Economy on the Rocks

November 27, 2012

A Quick Guide to the Obama and Romney Tax Plans

October 18, 2012

Simulating the Economic Effects of Romney’s Tax Plan

October 3, 2012

Why Progressives Should Want to End the Estate Tax, Too

September 13, 2012

The Estate Tax: Even Worse Than Republicans Say

September 4, 2012

Would Romney Pay Zero Taxes under the Ryan Plan?

August 13, 2012

How the States Would Be Affected by Extension of the Bush Tax Cuts and Other Provisions

August 1, 2012

Fate of Bush Tax Cuts Uncertain As Expiration Approaches

April 11, 2012

Taxing Net Worth: Theoretically Flawed and Unrealistic

November 15, 2011

Death Tax Compromise Protects Thousands of Estates from the Tax

December 10, 2010

Harkin, Whitehouse and Sanders Are Pushing an Estate Tax Proposal That Might Be Called the “Die Abroad Act”

June 24, 2010

Death and Taxes

June 10, 2010

The Federal Estate Tax: Will It Rise From the Grave in 2011 or Sooner?

May 27, 2010

What is the Current Status of the Federal Estate Tax?

May 26, 2010

List of Tax Provisions Scheduled to Expire on December 31, 2010