01/12/2017
For years it has been discussed that for estate tax purposes it was better to die a resident of certain states than others. The following is an updated list, as of January 1, 2017, of the states which impose a "death or inheritance tax" on its residents and those who follow the Federal Estate Tax Exemption amount.
Good States in Which to Die a Resident: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Bad States in Which to Die a Resident: Connecticut ($2,000,000), Delaware ($5,490,000), District of Columbia ($2,000,000), Hawaii ($5,490,000), Illinois ($4,000,000), Iowa (inheritance tax on transfers to others than lineal ascendants and descendants), Kentucky (separate inheritance tax), Maine (estate tax and no portability), Maryland ($3,000,000), Massachusetts ($1,000,000), Minnesota ($1,800,000), Nebraska (County Inheritance Tax), New Jersey ($2,000,000), New York ($4,187,500 for April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017 and then $5,250,000 for April 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018), Oregon ($1,000,000), Pennsylvania (Inheritance Tax), Rhode Island ($1,500,000), Vermont ($2,750,000), and Washington ($2,129,000).