inheritance tax

American  

noun

1. a tax levied on the right of an heir to receive a decedent's property, the rate being a percentage of the value of the property.

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inheritance tax British  

noun

1. (in Britain) a tax introduced in 1986 to replace capital transfer tax, consisting of a percentage levied on that part of an inheritance exceeding a specified allowance, and scaled charges on gifts made within seven years of death

2. (in the US) a state tax imposed on an inheritance according to its size and the relationship of the beneficiary to the deceased

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Etymology

Origin of inheritance tax

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inheritance tax

Turkey in June introduced a 20-year tax exemption on certain foreign-sourced income for new residents and a reduced inheritance tax.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

If you’re a surviving spouse — or, in certain cases, a child under 21 — you won’t owe any inheritance tax.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

It could face "fierce opposition" if that means people who would not have faced inheritance tax will now have their estates taxed, the paper adds.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Asked about those commitments during the by-election campaign, Burnham said he did not "resile" from his previous stance on inheritance tax.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

In 1797 a graded inheritance tax was levied by Congress.

From The Arena Volume 18, No. 93, August, 1897 by Various

Related Words

• death tax
• estate tax