inheritance tax

noun

1
: a tax on a decedent's net estate that is levied after the estate is transmitted to the inheritors
2
: death tax
especially : estate tax

Examples of inheritance tax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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No 4: Game-changing money from the Gulf The biggest story in the UK this week has been about farmers protesting against a change to inheritance tax. Matt Slater, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024 The flashpoint is the government’s decision in its budget last month to scrap a tax break dating from the 1990s that exempts agricultural property from inheritance tax. Jill Lawless, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov. 2024 Similar to estate tax in the U.S., inheritance tax in the U.K. is charged at 40% on the property, possessions and money of someone who has died, above a threshold of 325,000 pounds, or around $410,000. Hannah Peart, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2024 Retirees also don't pay an inheritance tax or an estate tax, and most groceries and all prescription and nonprescription drugs are tax-free. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inheritance tax 

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inheritance tax was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near inheritance tax

Cite this Entry

“Inheritance tax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inheritance%20tax. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Legal Definition

inheritance tax

noun
: an excise tax that is levied upon the privilege of receiving property as heir or next of kin under the law of intestacy and that is measured by the value of the property received compare estate tax

More from Merriam-Webster on inheritance tax

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