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Gift Tax Overview

Gift Tax Overview: Understanding the Basics of Gifting

As the holiday season approaches, many people are looking for ways to express their love and appreciation for their loved ones. One way to accomplish this is through gifting. Gifts can bring joy and create memories that will last a lifetime, but it is important to understand the tax implications of gifting. In this article, we will explore the basics of gift tax and provide you with an overview of the rules and regulations surrounding the topic.

What is Gift Tax?

Gift tax is a tax on the transfer of property or money from one person to another without receiving anything in return. It is important to note that gift tax is separate from estate tax, which is a tax on the transfer of property after someone passes away. While the two taxes are related, they have different rules and exemptions.

The idea behind gift tax is to prevent people from avoiding estate tax by simply giving away their assets before they pass away. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers gifts to be a way to avoid estate tax, so they implemented gift tax as a way to ensure that people do not avoid paying taxes.

What is Considered a Gift?

A gift can be any transfer of property, including cash, stocks, or real estate, that is made without receiving any money or property in return. The person making the gift is known as the donor, while the recipient is known as the donee.

It is important to note that there are certain transfers of property that are not considered gifts, which includes transfers made for charitable purposes or transfers made between married couples.

Gift Tax Exemptions

The IRS has a yearly gift tax exemption that allows you to gift up to a certain amount each year without triggering gift tax. The exemption is adjusted each year to account for inflation. In 2021, the annual gift tax exemption is $15,000 per person.

This means that you can give up to $15,000 in gifts to an individual each year without triggering any gift tax. It is important to note that this limit applies to each person, so you can give $15,000 to as many individuals as you would like without incurring any gift tax.

Unlimited Gift Tax Exemption

There are certain transfers that are exempt from gift tax, regardless of the amount of the transfer. These transfers include:

1. Gifts to a Spouse: There is no gift tax on transfers made between spouses. This means that you can give your spouse an unlimited amount of property or money without triggering gift tax.

2. Gifts to Charitable Organizations: There is no gift tax on transfers made to qualified charitable organizations. This means that you can give an unlimited amount of property or money to a qualified charity without triggering gift tax.

3. Tuition or Medical Expenses: There is no gift tax on transfers made to pay for someone’s tuition or medical expenses. To qualify for this exemption, the payment must be made directly to the educational institution or medical provider.

4. Gift Tax Credit: The IRS offers a lifetime gift tax credit that can be used to offset any gift tax liability. The credit is also adjusted for inflation each year. In 2021, the gift tax credit is $11.7 million.

Gift Tax Rates

If your gifts exceed the annual exemption, you may be required to pay gift tax. The gift tax rate ranges from 18% to 40%, depending on the amount of the gift.

The gift tax rate is cumulative, meaning that the tax rate increases as the total amount of the gifts exceed the $15,000 annual exemption. For instance, if you gift $20,000 to an individual, you will only pay gift tax on the $5,000 excess over the annual exemption.

Reporting Gift Tax

If you are required to pay gift tax, you will need to file a gift tax return with the IRS. The gift tax return is used to report the amount of the gift and any applicable tax, and it is due on April 15th of the year following the gift.

In many cases, you will not need to pay gift tax immediately when you file your gift tax return. Instead, you can apply your gift tax credit to offset any gift tax liability.

Conclusion

In conclusion, gift tax is a tax on the transfer of property or money from one person to another without receiving anything in return. While it is separate from estate tax, gift tax is intended to prevent people from avoiding estate tax. The IRS offers an annual gift tax exemption, unlimited exemptions, and a gift tax credit to help individuals reduce their gift tax liability. It is important to understand the rules surrounding gift tax to ensure that you are not caught off guard and face hefty fines and penalties.


A gift tax can be imposed on a transaction involving some kind of gratuity being given to a recipient, as can come in such various forms as physical items, financial products, or other kinds of assets given as a gift, as may be either tangible or intangible. As such, the person who is giving the gift will most often be faced with the particular gift taxes in effect for a jurisdiction.

The judgment that the transfer of a property asset was gratuitous, and as such constitutes a gift and comes under the coverage of gift taxes, is made according the absence of any form of compensation having been offered in return for the asset involved. Gift taxes can also be potentially imposed when a gift is considered to have been gratuitous in part, due to involving some form of compensation being offered to the donor, but one which is sufficiently less than the asset’s value.