Estate
annual gift tax exclusion
The annual gift tax exclusion is the amount you can give each person in a year without filing a gift tax return. For 2026 the IRS sets it at $19,000 per recipient.
The annual gift tax exclusion is the amount you can give each person in one calendar year without the gift counting against your lifetime exemption. The IRS says it applies to each recipient. For 2026 it is $19,000 per recipient. Each spouse gets their own, so a couple can give $38,000 to one person.
What else is not taxable. The IRS lists gifts to your spouse and tuition or medical bills you pay directly for someone. Gifts to qualifying charities are deductible from the value of the gifts.
A round example. For example, a couple with three children and two grandchildren could give $38,000 to each of five people in one year, a total of $190,000, with no gift tax return. These numbers use the 2026 figure and are for illustration only. Larger gifts may need Form 709.
Why it matters to your plan. Yearly gifts can move wealth to family during your life and fit with giving to your church or ministry. Use the current figure each year. See our trust and estate planning page.
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