Estate and Gift taxes are "transfer taxes" charged to the estates of people who transfer assets that are worth more than the state and Federal Exclusion Amounts on this chart. Planning can save most estates from these taxes.

Estate & Gift Tax Threshold Amount Chart - Law Office of John L. Roberts
Year of Death	Federal Estate Tax Exclusion	Maximum Federal Estate & Gift Tax Rate	Federal Amounts		Mass Guide to Estate Taxes Estate Tax Threshold	CT Estate & Gift Tax / Forms Estate Tax Threshold
1998	$625,000		Lifetime Exemption	Annual Exclusion
1999	$650,000
2000	$675,000
2001	$675,000
2002	$1 million	50%	$1 mil.	$11,000	$1 million
2003	$1 million	49%	$1 mil.	$11,000	$700,000
2004	$1.5 million	48%	$1 mil.	$11,000	$850,000
2005	$1.5 million	47%	$1 mil.	$11,000	$950,000	$ 2 million
2006	$2 million	46%	$1 mil.	$12,000	$1 million	$ 2 million
2007	$2 million	45%	$1 mil.	$12,000	$1 million	$ 2 million
2008	$2 million	45%	$1 mil.	$12,000	$1 million	$ 2 million
2009	$3.5 million	45%	$1 mil.	$13,000	$1 million	$ 2 million
2010	Estate Tax Repealed? Carryover basis takes effect for all decedents dying after December 31, 2009.		$1 mil.	indexed for inflation in future years		Read new rules on estate and gift tax reporting for 2010.
2011	Estate Tax returns, with a $1 millionn exclusion aont, unless Congress Acts during 2010.

Beginning January 1, 2010, a new system of "basis adjustment" took effect, abolishing the Federal estate tax exclusion amounts. The US House of Representatives voted in December, 2009 to continue the Federal estate tax system, using the 2009 exemptions listed on the chart. But the Senate did not follow suit. See: New York Times Editorial: An Estate Tax Mess. more >>

Techniques for avoiding Federal and Massachusetts estate taxes

Federal Estate & Gift Tax Resources
Frequently Asked Questions about Federal Estate Taxation
IRS Pamphlet:
Introduction to Estate and Gift Tax
Form 706