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Marylanders: Live Longer To Leave More For Your Heirs
If you're a wealthy resident of Maryland, you absolutely, positively must stick around until at least 2019 to leave more to your heirs tax-free. It would be inconsiderate to them not to live beyond 2018. While this news is doubtful to be a big factor in your decision whether to check out or not, it is nice to know Maryland is giving you a financial incentive to stay alive: estate tax reduction.
On May 15, 2014, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed into law a bipartisan bill "recoupling" the state's estate tax with federal estate taxation over the next five years. As a result, the state's stingy $1 million exemption from federal taxation, put in place just a decade ago, will grow annually until it equals the federal exemption amount. It won't be until 2019 that the Maryland and federal estate tax exemptions reach parity.
In 2019, the federal exemption, which is indexed for inflation, is expected to grow to $5.9 million.
Our advice: stick around at least through 2019 and let your heirs know you're doing them a big favor.