estate tax

noun

: a tax in the form of a percentage of the taxable estate that is imposed on a property owner's right to transfer the property to others after his or her death compare inheritance tax sense 1

Examples of estate tax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Starting in 2026, the federal estate tax exemption is expected to jump to $15 million per person (that’s estimated to be $30 million for couples). —Luke Britt, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025

This rule benefits the wealthiest American families, who will not pay any federal estate tax on amounts up to these levels. —Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 14 July 2025

House and Senate leaders should focus on providing permanence in the tax code for small businesses with the 20% small-business deduction, the estate tax, and equipment expensing provisions. —Palmer Schoening, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025

Plus, the federal estate tax exemption will increase to $15 million. —Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for estate tax

• anticlimax
• counterattacks
• hemothorax
• mesothorax
• metathorax
• pneumothorax
• almanacs
• carrybacks
• haversacks
• lumberjacks
• maniacs
• microcracks

Legal Definition

estate tax

noun

: an excise in the form of a percentage of the taxable estate that is imposed on a property owner's right to transfer the property to others after his or her death

called also succession tax

see also unified transfer tax compare gift tax, inheritance tax