Estate Planning

The current amount an individual can leave to heirs without any estate or gift tax is $5,490,000. This amount is indexed for inflation and can change every year. As a couple you can leave twice as much if you file an estate tax return for the first spouse to die and elect to make any unused exemption portable to the surviving spouse. Also, the executor may want to file an estate return even for a gross estate under the exemption amount if the assets include appreciating real estate.