Gift tax guides
Plain-language explanations of US federal gift tax rules, each matched to official IRS wording.
Basics and limits
- The 2026 gift tax annual exclusionHow the $19,000 annual exclusion works in 2026: per donor and per recipient, repeated gifts, two-parent gifts, annual versus lifetime exclusion, and when Form 709 comes up.
- US gift tax, explainedA plain-language overview of US federal gift tax: what counts as a gift, who pays, which gifts aren't taxable, the 2026 annual and lifetime exclusions, and what recipients should know.
Filing
- Form 709: the US gift tax returnWhen Form 709 is generally required, why you may file even when no tax is due, what to gather, the main schedules, deadlines, e-filing and where to get official help.
- Form 709 organizer (worksheet tool)Step through the return section by section and get a worksheet to review with a preparer. It does not prepare or file the return.
Receiving and family
- Receiving a gift: do you owe tax?For recipients: why gifts from parents, family and friends generally aren't income, when income from a gift is taxable, foreign-gift reporting on Form 3520, and the basis of gifted property.
- Gifting money to family in 2026How gifts to children, parents and other relatives work in 2026: $19,000 per recipient, several gifts in a year, two parents giving, joint accounts, gift versus loan, and records for a home down payment.
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