How the Estate Tax Actually Works for Most Families

Episode 49 of The Tax Policy Podcast with Fexingo cuts through the political noise around the estate tax. Lucas and Luna explain the $13.99 million exemption per person for 2026, how portability works for married couples, and why fewer than 0.2% of estates actually owe a dime. They walk through a concrete example: a $15 million estate with no planning versus one using a bypass trust and charitable bequests, showing how the effective rate can drop from 40% to near zero. They also discuss the step-up in basis loophole and the 'Buy, Borrow, Die' strategy that wealth advisers use to avoid tax entirely. No scare tactics, no ideological framing — just the numbers that matter if you own a home or a business. Listeners learn one concrete thing: the estate tax is a voluntary tax for anyone who plans ahead. #EstateTax #InheritanceTax #TaxPolicy #WealthTransfer #StepUpInBasis #BuyBorrowDie #Portability #BypassTrust #CharitableBequests #EstatePlanning #LifetimeExemption #TaxLoophole #Economics #FiscalPolicy #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TheTaxPolicyPodcast #LucasAndLuna Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo