A financial security is a tradeable asset that has monetary value. There are many types of financial securities, often called “securities."
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About the Author
Lyle Daly is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology and cryptocurrency. Lyle has been a contributor at the financial services company since 2018. His work has been featured on USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, Fox Business, and Nasdaq. Before joining The Motley Fool, he wrote for financial brands including Intuit.
Estate and inheritance taxes are two types of death taxes. They apply to the assets a deceased person leaves behind, such as real estate, bank accounts, and securities.
In the United States, estate taxes are more common. There's a federal estate tax, although it only applies to estates worth more than $13.61 million. Several states have their own estate taxes with lower thresholds, while six have inheritance taxes.
Because these taxes vary by state, location plays a key role in how much an estate and the beneficiaries of an inheritance pay. Keep reading for the most recent estate and inheritance tax rates by state.
Estate vs. inheritance taxes: What's the difference?
The difference between estate taxes and inheritance taxes is who pays them. Estate taxes are paid by the deceased's estate before any inheritance is issued. Inheritance taxes are paid by beneficiaries of an inheritance on the amount they receive.
For example, let's say a family member passes away in an area with a 5% estate tax and a 10% inheritance tax, and they leave you their estate worth $1 million. Here's how estate and inheritance taxes would work:
The estate would pay $50,000 (5%) in estate taxes.
You would receive $950,000.
You would pay $95,000 (10%) in inheritance taxes.
Federal estate taxes
Federal estate taxes apply to estates worth more than $13.61 million as of 2024. Tax rates range from 18% to 40%. There is no federal inheritance tax.
The following table lists federal estate tax rates based on the taxable amount, which is the value of the estate minus the $13.61 million exclusion:
States that don't have estate or inheritance taxes
The following states don't have estate or inheritance taxes:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
In those states, the only tax that would apply is the federal estate tax on estates worth more than $13.61 million.
States with estate taxes, inheritance taxes, or both
Now, let's look at the states with estate taxes, inheritance taxes, or both. Note that not all states have released their 2024 tax rates yet. We've included the most recent estate and inheritance tax rates that are currently available for each state.
Hawaii has an estate tax on estates worth more than $5.49 million. Estate tax rates range from 10% to 20%.
Here are the Hawaii estate tax rates:
Illinois estate taxes
Illinois has an estate tax on estates worth more than $4 million. Estate tax rates range from 0.8% to 16%.
Although Illinois exempts estates up to $4 million from estate taxes, it taxes the entire amount of estates that are worth more than that. To determine tax rates, it uses the federal credit for state death taxes table. This table has more than 20 tax rates corresponding to different amount ranges.
For example, amounts of at least $40,000 but less than $90,000 have a tax rate of 0.8% -- but only if the estate is worth more than $4 million. The tax rate increases to 1.6% for amounts of at least $90,000 but less than $140,000. This pattern continues up to amounts of at least $10,040,000, which have a tax rate of 16%.
Iowa has an inheritance tax, but in 2021, the state decided it would repeal this tax by 2025. It has been decreasing its inheritance tax by 20% per year since 2021. For deaths that occur in or after 2025, there will be no inheritance tax.
The inheritance tax in Iowa applies to estates of $25,000 or more. Estates with lower values are exempt from inheritance tax. Iowa also exempts beneficiaries from paying inheritance tax if they're a surviving spouse or a lineal ascendant or descendant to the deceased. Lineal ascendants and descendants include:
Parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents
Children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren
Descendants by adoption
For other beneficiaries of an inheritance, the inheritance tax rate depends on the individual's relation to the deceased. Those who aren't exempt will be in one of two groups: Tax Rate B or Tax Rate C.
Tax Rate B applies to siblings, half siblings, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law. Here are the rates for this group:
Tax Rate C applies to uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, foster children, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and all other individuals. Here are the tax rates for this group:
Kentucky inheritance taxes
Kentucky has an inheritance tax ranging from 4% to 16% that varies based on the beneficiary's relation to the deceased. If the inheritance tax is paid within nine months of the decedent's death, a 5% discount is allowed. There are three classes of beneficiaries in Kentucky: Class A, Class B, and Class C.
Class A is exempt from paying inheritance taxes if the date of the death was after June 30, 1998. This class is close family members, and it includes:
Surviving spouses
Parents
Children and grandchildren
Siblings and half siblings
Class B beneficiaries receive a $1,000 inheritance tax exemption. This class is for other family members, and it includes:
Nieces and nephews (and half nieces and half nephews)
Daughters-in-law and sons-in-law
Aunts and uncles
Great-grandchildren
Class C beneficiaries receive a $500 tax exemption. All individuals not included in Class A or Class B, including cousins, are part of Class C.
Here are the Kentucky inheritance tax rates for Class B and Class C:
Maine estate taxes
Maine has an estate tax ranging from 8% to 12%. It offers an annual exclusion amount of $6.8 million for deaths in 2024.
Here are Maine's current estate taxes:
Maryland estate and inheritance taxes
Maryland is the only state that has both an estate tax and an inheritance tax.
The Maryland estate tax is 16% on estates worth more than $5 million. Its inheritance tax is 10% for those dying on or after July 1, 2000. However, beneficiaries with any of the following relationships to the deceased are exempt from paying the Maryland inheritance tax:
Children or other lineal descendants
Spouses of children or other lineal descendants
Spouses
Parents and grandparents
Stepchildren and stepparents
Siblings
When estate and inheritance taxes apply, the amount of the estate tax is reduced by the amount of the inheritance tax.
Massachusetts estate taxes
Massachusetts has an estate tax on estates worth more than $2 million. Estate tax rates range from 0.8% to 16%. Estates of decedents who died on or after Jan. 1, 2023, are allowed a credit of $99,600 to reduce the estate tax.
Like Illinois, Massachusetts uses the federal credit for state death taxes table to determine estate tax rates. It taxes the entire amount of the estate in excess of that $2 million threshold.
The federal credit for state death taxes table has a tax rate of 0% for the first $40,000. A tax rate of 0.8% applies on amounts of at least $40,000 but less than $90,000, and tax rates increase sequentially from there.
The full table of Massachusetts estate tax rates is available in the state's guide to estate taxes.
Minnesota estate taxes
Minnesota has an estate tax ranging from 13% to 16%. Estate taxes apply to estates worth more than $3 million as of 2023.
Here are Minnesota's estate tax rates:
Nebraska inheritance taxes
Nebraska has an inheritance tax ranging from 1% to 15%. The tax rate and exemption amount depend on the beneficiary's relationship to the decedent. Surviving spouses don't need to pay inheritance tax in Nebraska.
Here are Nebraska's inheritance tax rates and exemption amounts:
For inheritance tax purposes, Nebraska considers the following relations to be immediate relatives:
Children, adopted children, grandchildren, and other lineal descendants
Siblings
Parents and grandparents
Spouses of any of the immediate relatives listed above
Relatives of the decedent's former spouse, if the decedent was married to the former spouse at the time of the former spouse's death
Nebraska considers the following relations to be remote relatives:
Nieces and nephews
Aunts and uncles
Lineal descendants or spouses of the remote relatives listed above
New Jersey inheritance taxes
New Jersey has an inheritance tax ranging from 11% to 16%. The tax rate and the exemption amount depend on the beneficiary's relation to the deceased. New Jersey previously had an estate tax, but the state repealed it in 2018.
There are three classes of individual beneficiaries in New Jersey: Class A, Class C, and Class D.
Class A is exempt from New Jersey inheritance tax and includes the following relationships:
Surviving spouses, domestic partners, and civil union partners
Children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and other lineal descendants (does not include step-grandchildren or step-great-grandchildren)
Parents and grandparents
Class C has a $25,000 inheritance tax exemption. This class includes siblings and the child's spouse or civil union partner. Here are the New Jersey inheritance tax rates for Class C:
Class D has no tax exemption. It includes anyone who isn't in Class A or Class C. It has a simple tax structure:
New York estate taxes
New York has an estate tax ranging from 3.06% to 16%. Estate taxes apply to estates worth more than the basic exclusion amount of $6.94 million as of 2024.
New York has an estate tax "cliff" for estates that exceed the exclusion amount by more than 5%. If an estate is within 5% of $6.94 million, then estate tax only applies to the amount that exceeds that threshold. However, if an estate's value is more than 105% of the exclusion amount, then the entire estate is subject to estate taxes.
Tax rates start at 3.06% on amounts up to $500,000 and gradually increase to the highest rate of 16% on amounts of more than $10.1 million. The full tax table is available on the New York State Estate Tax Return Form ET-706.
Oregon estate taxes
Oregon has an estate tax ranging from 10% to 16%. The state has an exemption of $1 million in estate taxes.
Here are Oregon's estate tax rates:
Pennsylvania inheritance taxes
Pennsylvania has an inheritance tax ranging from 4.5% to 15%. Inheritance tax rates depend on the beneficiary's relationship to the decedent. Surviving spouses and parents of children aged 21 or younger are exempt from paying inheritance taxes.
Here are Pennsylvania's inheritance tax rates:
Rhode Island estate taxes
As of 2023, Rhode Island has an estate tax on estates worth more than $1,774,583. Estate tax rates range from 0.8% to 16%.
Rhode Island uses the federal credit for state death taxes table to determine estate tax rates. It taxes the entire amount of estates that exceed the $1,774,583 threshold.
The federal credit for state death taxes table has a tax rate of 0% for the first $40,000. A tax rate of 0.8% applies on amounts of at least $40,000 but less than $90,000, and tax rates increase sequentially from there.
Vermont's estate tax is a flat rate of 16% on the portion of a taxable estate that exceeds the exclusion amount. The state's exclusion amount is $5 million.
Washington estate taxes
Washington has an estate tax ranging from 10% to 20%. The estate tax exclusion is $2,193,000.
Here are Washington's estate tax rates:
Washington, D.C., estate taxes
Washington, D.C., has an estate tax ranging from 11.2% to 16.0%. The estate tax exclusion is $4,715,600 as of 2024 and increases annually based on a cost-of-living adjustment.
Here are the Washington, D.C., estate tax rates for 2024:
