Gift & Generation-Skipping Tax Calculator (2026)
The annual exclusion lets you give tax-free every year; anything beyond it dips into the same lifetime pool that shields your estate and GST transfers.
Each recipient gets a fresh $19,000 annual exclusion every year — gifts up to that per person aren’t reported and don’t use lifetime exemption. Married couples can split gifts to double the shelter.
The gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) exemptions are unified at $15,000,000 for 2026. Taxable gifts consume that pool and reduce what passes estate-tax-free later.
Not tax, legal, or financial advice
FiscTalk provides general educational information from public sources. Tax outcomes depend on your full facts, filing history, and jurisdiction-specific rules that change yearly. Before filing or making decisions, consult a licensed CPA, EA, or attorney. FiscTalk is not a fiduciary and is not affiliated with the IRS or any state agency.
Sources & methodology
- IRS — Tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) — Internal Revenue Service
- IRS Pub. 15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide 2026 — Social Security wage base $184,500 — Internal Revenue Service
- IRS Pub. 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service
- IRS Form 1041-ES (2026) — capital gains rate thresholds — Internal Revenue Service
- OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), Pub. L. 119-21 — SALT, estate, QBI, QSBS, senior deduction — Internal Revenue Service
What this tool does
How to use it
- 1Select the tax year and enter your total gifts for the year.
- 2Enter the number of recipients — the annual exclusion multiplies per person.
- 3Add any prior taxable gifts from earlier years (they reduce the lifetime pool).
- 4Read the result cards: annual exclusion, taxable gift this year, lifetime exclusion used, and remaining estate + GST shield.
Worked examples
Run the same scenario through the calculator above to verify every number — they come from the same sourced dataset.
$10,000 gift to one recipient, no prior gifts
$50,000 gift to one recipient, no prior gifts
$100,000 total to four recipients (gift-splitting scenario)
What this tool does not cover
- Tuition and medical payments made directly to providers are unlimited and not counted — not modeled here.
- Gift splitting between spouses requires both to consent; the calculator shows the mechanics but not the form (Form 709).
- State gift or inheritance taxes may apply separately in a few states.
Common questions
What is the 2026 gift tax annual exclusion?
You can give up to $19,000 per recipient in 2026 without filing a gift tax return or using your lifetime exclusion. Married couples can split gifts to double that per recipient.
Do I have to pay gift tax on gifts over the annual exclusion?
Usually not immediately. Gifts above the annual exclusion reduce your $15,000,000 lifetime estate and gift exclusion. Gift tax is only owed after the lifetime exclusion is exhausted.
Is the lifetime gift exemption the same as the estate exemption?
Yes — they share one unified $15,000,000 per-person exclusion in 2026. Every taxable gift you make reduces the amount your estate can pass tax-free at death.
What is the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax?
GST tax applies to transfers that skip a generation (e.g., grandparent to grandchild). It shares the same $15,000,000 exclusion and adds a flat 40% tax on taxable skips beyond it.