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Federal Inheritance Tax Laws
Understanding Federal Inheritance Tax Laws
The federal inheritance tax laws are some of the most complicated in the tax code.
When an individual passes on, the federal government imposes an estate tax. This tax only applies to estate properties that are over one million fifty thousand dollars.
The federal government is still likely to tax an estate even if all or a portion of the estate is being handed down to other family members. The executor or the administrator of the estate has the responsibility of filing the deceased’s final tax return. If an administrator or executor of the estate was not named, then a survivor must file the tax return for the deceased. The word “deceased” will need to be placed after the name of person who has passed on.
The federal inheritance tax is also commonly referred to as a “death tax” because it is a tax that is imposed on all estate money and property after estate owners pass away and leave their estate or a portion of their estate to another person.
When the federal government imposes an estate tax, the amount of taxes owed generally comes from estate money left behind or the sale of estate property. Under the guidelines of the federal inheritance tax laws, the beneficiaries who have the right to claim any money above $600 will have to claim this money as income on their federal income tax return. If the deceased was married, the surviving spouse can file married filing jointly for the year after the death.
States Inheritance Tax Laws
States that currently collect a tax on inherited estate money or property are Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Iowa. Instead of imposing an estate tax in this situation, there are many states that impose an inheritance tax.
Since each state is likely to tax their residents differently, individuals need to research the inheritance tax laws in their state or hire the services of a professional tax attorney.
There are also many state governments that regularly update their inheritance tax guidelines, and many states are even considering completely dropping the inheritance tax. This is why it is important for taxpayers or their tax attorneys to keep up-to-date on the latest inheritance tax laws.
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The process the states use to tax money or property that was inherited is a little bit different. States that have an inheritance tax do not require the money to come from the estate. Instead, they require that the individual who receives the inheritance to file and pay any taxes due on the money or property they inherited.
Although different states have different rules, guidelines, and restrictions surrounding an inheritance tax, there are several common circumstances that many states consider.
When an individual who has passed on leaves money or property to a close family member, the inheritance tax is likely to be lower than if the property was given to a friend or distant family member. Most states consider a close family member a mother, father, brother, sister, daughter, son, or spouse.
Individuals who are required to report an inheritance and pay a tax on it are required to fill out the necessary state forms. These forms can be obtained by contacting one of the state taxation offices. The phone numbers for these state offices can generally be found by doing an internet search or by using the contact information from your last state tax return.
Most inheritance tax forms can be downloaded from the Internet. The majority of states that impose an inheritance tax have a tax website that may have a downloadable copy of the forms that can be printed, completed, and mailed in.
As with estate taxes and traditional state income taxes, there are a number of inheritance tax deductions that can lower the amount of tax money that an individual may owe on their inheritance.
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To determine these deductions, individuals preparing their own inheritance gift tax forms are encouraged to read the form instruction booklet to determine what these exemptions are and if they qualify for them. You will want to fully understand the federal inheritance tax laws before you file the final income tax return. Most of us cannot think clearly after a loss, so getting help understanding the laws about federal inheritance tax is a good idea.
Consider using the Free Tax Estimator provided by TurboTax Online to calculate your State and Federal inheritance taxes this year.
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