Tax tool
Will your estate owe estate tax?
Most estates don't. The federal exemption is high; only a dozen states have their own estate tax. This calculator gives you a quick read on whether the answer is 'no, ignore this' or 'yes, plan for it.'
Total assets at death: home, retirement accounts, life insurance death benefit, investments, business interests.
$2.00M
Federal estate tax
$0
Below the $27.98M couple exemption
State estate tax
$0
Most states (including yours) don't impose an estate or inheritance tax.
These are rough estimates. Actual liability depends on deductions (marital, charitable, debts), valuation discounts, lifetime gifts that have used part of your exemption, portability elections, and many state-specific rules. For estates near or over a threshold, consult an estate-planning attorney or CPA.
What it covers
Federal + state exemptions, plain.
Federal estate tax
$13.99M individual exemption, $27.98M for a married couple (2026). Anything above that, taxed at 40%. Roughly 0.1% of estates owe any federal estate tax.
State estate tax (12 states + DC)
Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington. Thresholds range from $1M (Oregon) to ~$14M (Connecticut).
State inheritance tax (5 states)
Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Tax on the heir, not the estate. Spouse is always exempt; close relatives often are; distant relatives pay the most.
What the calculator doesn't show
Marital deduction (everything to a U.S. citizen spouse is tax-free), portability of unused federal exemption, charitable deduction, lifetime gifts that used your exemption, and the New York “cliff” for estates 5%+ over the exemption. For real liability, consult a tax pro.
Estate tax or not, you still need a will.
The estate-tax question is for the few. The will is for everyone.