estate tax

American  

noun

1. a tax imposed on a decedent's property, assessed on the gross estate prior to distribution to the heirs.

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Etymology

Origin of estate tax

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

estate tax

The estate tax returns, federal and state, totaled some 4,000 pages.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Federal estate tax generally should not apply to a house worth $1.5 million because the exemption is far higher than $1.5 million.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

And, as I said, most estates at this level pay no estate tax at all.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

Swapping assets is often part of estate planning for wealthy taxpayers aiming to minimize exposure to the 50% estate tax rate.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

She does not know how or where to join in when her children are talking about Woody Allen movies or real estate tax laws or somebody’s yoga class.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• death tax
• inheritance tax