We live in an ever-changing federal income and estate tax environment. On January 1, 2017, the federal estate tax exemption increased to $5.49 million per individual. That amount excludes over ninety-five (95%) percent of all decedent estates from payment of any federal estate tax. In addition, thirty (30) U.S. states have no estate or inheritance taxes while twenty (20) states and the District of Columbia currently impose an estate (14 states) or inheritance (6 states) tax, or both. As a result, your estate could be exempt from the federal estate tax but subject to a large state estate tax.
