Federal Estate Tax Exemption From 1916 to 1997
The federal estate tax has been around in some shape or form since 1916. The table below shows the historical estate tax exemptions and top estate tax rates from 1916 through 1997.
To view the estate tax exemptions and top estate tax rates from 1997 through the present, please refer to the following: Table Showing Federal Estate Tax Exemption and Rate: 1997 - 2015.
For an overview of current federal estate tax laws and predictions about what will happen in the future, refer to the following:
Overview of Current Federal Estate Tax Laws
What is the Future of the Federal Estate Tax in 2015 and Beyond?
And aside from federal estate taxes, do not overlook state estate taxes and state inheritance taxes since quite a few states currently collect either or both of these taxes at the state level:
State Estate Tax and Exemption Chart
State Inheritance Tax Chart
NOTE: The information contained in this table is derived from the IRS publication The Estate Tax: Ninety Years and Counting, by Darien B. Jacobson, Brian G. Raub, and Barry W. Johnson.
Historical Federal Estate Tax Exemptions and Rates: 1916 - 1997
| Year | Estate Tax Exemption | Top Estate Tax Rate |
| 1916 | $50,000 | 10% |
| 1917 - 1923 | $50,000 | 25% |
| 1924 - 1925 | $50,000 | 40% |
| 1926 - 1931 | $100,000 | 20% |
| 1932 - 1933 | $50,000 | 45% |
| 1934 | $50,000 | 60% |
| 1935 - 1940 | $40,000 | 70% |
| 1941 | $40,000 | 77% |
| 1942 - 1976 | $60,000 | 77% |
| 1977 | $120,000 | 70% |
| 1978 | $134,000 | 70% |
| 1979 | $147,000 | 70% |
| 1980 | $161,000 | 70% |
| 1981 | $175,000 | 70% |
| 1982 | $225,000 | 65% |
| 1983 | $275,000 | 60% |
| 1984 | $325,000 | 55% |
| 1985 | $400,000 | 55% |
| 1986 | $500,000 | 55% |
| 1987 - 1997 | $600,000 | 55% |
