Gift Tax Annual Exclusion 2026: $19,000 per Recipient
October 17, 2026 · Informational · Not tax or legal advice
General information, not tax, legal or financial advice. We are not the IRS. Check IRS.gov or a qualified tax professional. Sources read on October 17, 2026. The 2026 Form 709 instructions were still a draft ("DRAFT", dated September 2, 2026) when read, so anything taken from them is expected and must be rechecked against the final version. Examples use made-up numbers. This page contains no affiliate links.
Short answer: for 2026, the annual gift tax exclusion is $19,000 per recipient (IRS FAQ on gift taxes; draft 2026 Form 709 instructions). It applies to gifts to each person: give each of your children $19,000 in 2026 and the exclusion applies to each gift.
IRS table (annual exclusion per donee)
| Year of gift | Exclusion |
|---|---|
| 2018 through 2021 | $15,000 |
| 2022 | $16,000 |
| 2023 | $17,000 |
| 2024 | $18,000 |
| 2025 | $19,000 |
| 2026 | $19,000 |
Couples
The IRS FAQ says that when spouses give property they own together, each spouse is entitled to the annual exclusion on the gift. For gifts from either spouse to third parties, see gift splitting.
What it does not cover
- Future interests are not subject to the annual exclusion; the draft instructions say you must file Form 709 for them even if the gift was $19,000 or less.
- Gifts of present interests to a spouse who is not a U.S. citizen have a different amount ($194,000 for 2026, if the amount above $19,000 would qualify for the marital deduction; Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Gifts of future interests do not qualify: see this guide.
- The exclusion is per recipient and per year; it is separate from the lifetime exclusion, see the lifetime exclusion.
Example (made-up numbers)
A parent gives a daughter $19,000 and a son $19,000 in 2026. Each gift is within the annual exclusion, so a Form 709 is generally not required for those gifts alone (if no other filing trigger applies).
2027
The 2027 amount has not been confirmed by us; any figure for 2027 would be expected, not confirmed.
FAQ
Is the same $19,000 reset every year? The exclusion is per year of the gift; the amount can change from year to year, as the table shows.
Does a gift above $19,000 mean I pay tax? Not automatically; see the lifetime exclusion guide.
What we could not verify
- The 2027 annual exclusion (not published when read).
- Final version of the 2026 Form 709 instructions (the draft was read; wording and numbers may change).
- State rules (not researched).
Sources (official)
- IRS, Frequently asked questions on gift taxes — irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes (read October 17, 2026)
- IRS, Instructions for Form 709 (2026), draft (dated Sep 2, 2026) — irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/i709--dft.pdf (read October 17, 2026; recheck the final version)
- IRS, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (section 4.42(2)) — irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-32.pdf (read October 17, 2026)