Who is subject to US gift tax?
William Smith
Updated on March 31, 2026
What are the U.S. gift tax rules for citizens, residents, and nonresidents? U.S. citizens and residents are subject to a maximum rate of 40% with exemption of $5 million indexed for inflation. Nonresidents are subject to the same tax rates, but with exemption of $60,000 for transfers at death only.
What gifts are excluded from the gift tax?
Generally, the following gifts are not taxable gifts.
- Gifts that are not more than the annual exclusion for the calendar year.
- Tuition or medical expenses you pay for someone (the educational and medical exclusions).
- Gifts to your spouse.
- Gifts to a political organization for its use.
Is there a gift tax in the USA?
What is the gift tax? Gift tax is a federal tax on transfers of money or property to other people while getting nothing (or less than full value) in return. Few people owe gift tax; the IRS generally isn’t involved unless a gift exceeds $15,000. Even then, it might only trigger extra paperwork.
Is there any gift tax in USA?
What is the gift tax rate? If you’re lucky enough and generous enough to use up your exclusions, you may indeed have to pay the gift tax. The rates range from 18% to 40%, and the giver generally pays the tax.
Is the transfer of real property subject to gift tax?
A transfer of real property or tangible personal property by a nonresident alien is subject to gift tax only if it is situated in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section §2511 (a); Regs. §25.2511-3 (a). Section 2511 (a) reads as follows:
What kind of gift is not subject to gift tax?
For nonresidents not citizens of the U.S., transfers subject to gift tax include real and tangible personal property that is situated in the U.S. However, gifts of U.S.-situated intangible property are not subject to gift tax. See IRC § 2501 (a) (2). Such intangibles include, for example, stock of U.S. corporations.
Do you have to pay tax on a gift to a US citizen?
US estate and gift taxes US citizens and domiciliariesare subject to gift tax on all lifetime gifts, regardless of where the property is located. Non-US domiciliariesare subject to US gift tax only on transfers of tangible personal property located in the US and real property located in the US.
What makes a gift an intangible property in the US?
Section 25.2511 – 3 (b) of the Gift Tax Regulations defines the term “intangible property” as “a property right issued by or enforceable against a resident of the United States or a domestic corporation (public or private), irrespective of where the written evidence of the property is physically located at the time of the transfer.”