For 2019, the IRS has announced that the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption amount has increased to $11.4 per person, or $22.8 million for a married couple. This means that an individual may pass $11.4 million in assets without facing federal estate taxes. Married couples may still pass assets to each other upon the death of one spouse free of federal estate taxes. The surviving spouse may then elect to utilize the deceased spouse’s exemption amount (called “portability”) which would allow the surviving spouse to pass up to $22.8 million in assets free of federal estate taxes.

The annual gift exclusion amount remains at $15,000 for 2019. This means that each individual can gift up to $15,000 to an unlimited number of individual recipients without cutting into their $11.4 million individual lifetime estate and gift tax exemption allowance .

Check out this 2019 estate tax update from Forbes for more information on 2019 estate taxes.