Gift Tax
How the gift tax works in 2026: the annual exclusion, gift splitting, Form 709, the lifetime exemption, and a calculator for whether you owe anything.
Gift tax calculator (2026)
Gift tax: the 2026 numbers
You can give up to $19,000 per recipient in 2026 without reporting it ($38,000 if a married couple elects to split gifts). Gifts above that are reported on Form 709 and reduce your lifetime exemption of $15,000,000 (shared with the estate tax). Gift tax is only owed once lifetime taxable gifts pass the exemption, so almost no one pays it.
Example: a $50,000 gift to one child: $31,000 is a taxable gift reported on Form 709, which uses $31,000 of the $15 million exemption; no tax is due. Payments made directly to a school for tuition or to a medical provider don't count as gifts, and gifts to a US-citizen spouse are unlimited.
Who pays
The giver files Form 709 and pays any gift tax, not the recipient, and gifts aren't income to the person receiving them. See also inheritance tax.
Common questions
How much can you gift tax-free in 2026?
$19,000 per recipient, or $38,000 per recipient for a married couple splitting gifts.
What is the lifetime gift tax exemption for 2026?
$15,000,000, shared with the estate tax.
Who pays gift tax?
The person giving the gift, and only after the lifetime exemption is used up.
Sources
More paycheck and tax calculators: FICA Tax · Form 1099R · Head of Household
Related
General information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check important numbers with the official source before acting on them.