In tax year 2021, 2,584 American taxpayers paid $18.4 billion in estate taxes after allowable deductions and state death tax deductions, according to recently published federal estate tax data from the Internal Revenue Service.
Filers of an estate tax return must tote up everything a decedent owns or has certain interests in at death, determined by fair market value of these items. The sum is the gross estate. Last year, 6,158 individuals filed estate tax returns, with gross estates worth a total of $189.6 billion.
Once the gross estate is calculated, filers make deductions to arrive at the decedent's taxable estate. Deductions include the estate and gift tax exemption, which was $11.7 million per individual in 2021.
After arriving at the net amount, filers add the value of lifetime taxable gifts to this number and compute the tax.
See the gallery for the 15 states with the highest total net estate taxes paid in tax year 2021.
15. Maryland
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 104 Amount: $2.5 billion
Net estate taxes Number: 46 Amount: $208.3 million
14. Wisconsin
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 75 Amount: $1.9 billion
Net estate taxes Number: 31 Amount: $258.1 million
13. Tennessee
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 92 Amount: $2.6 billion
Net estate taxes Number: 33 Amount: $280.6 million
12. Nebraska
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 45 Amount: $2 billion
Net estate taxes Number: 18 Amount: $314.7 million
11. Colorado
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 104 Amount: $5.3 billion
Net estate taxes Number: 52 Amount: $315.2 million
10. Massachusetts
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 176 Amount: $4.2 billion
Net estate taxes Number: 73 Amount: $344.5 million
9. Virginia
Gross estate for tax purposes Number: 122 Amount: $5 billion
