THE NUMORIX GUIDE
How to use the Estate Tax Calculator
Last reviewed September 14, 2026
What this calculator does
The engine adds residence, investments, savings, vehicles, retirement, life insurance, and other assets to form gross estate.
Formula and method
The engine adds residence, investments, savings, vehicles, retirement, life insurance, and other assets to form gross estate. It subtracts debts, funeral expenses, charitable amounts, state estate tax, and entered lifetime gifts, then applies the selected year's exemption. Any taxable amount above that exemption is multiplied by the stored 40% rate.
Variables and inputs
Enter the tax year from 2018 through 2026, seven asset categories, and five liability or deduction categories. All values are dollars. The year selects an exemption and rate record embedded in the engine.
Worked example
Using the default assets, gross estate is 500,000 + 300,000 + 100,000 + 50,000 + 200,000 + 100,000 + 50,000 = $1,300,000. Defaults include $150,000 debts and $15,000 funeral costs, so taxable amount is 1,300,000 - 165,000 = $1,135,000. The 2026 engine exemption is $15,000,000, so taxable-above-exemption and modeled federal tax are $0.
How to interpret the result
The result is a simplified federal-estate arithmetic estimate. A taxable amount below the selected exemption does not create modeled federal estate tax, while a taxable amount above it is charged at the route's stored flat rate. Net after tax is taxable amount minus the modeled estate tax, not the value of every asset after every legal adjustment.
Common mistakes to avoid
Separate gross assets from debts and deductions. Do not treat a home's purchase price as its current estate value without considering the valuation rules that apply. Select the tax year that matches the planning question because exemptions change over time.
Assumptions and limitations
Estate tax law includes detailed inclusion, deduction, portability, gift, valuation, and filing rules that this route does not implement. The hardcoded annual records and flat 40% rate should be verified against current IRS instructions and professional advice before any estate decision.