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

If they don’t touch the money until they die, they can leave it to their heirs without paying any estate tax, either.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

Now, for just about every American family, the federal estate tax is no longer a meaningful planning concern.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

But the strategy can also have significant benefits for people who aren’t worried about the estate tax now that the estate tax exemption is at $15 million per person or $30 million for couples.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

“Later that $500,000 may rise back to $1 million or more but you only used up $500,000 of your estate tax exemption to gift it to your trust.”

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