The federal government imposes a tax on the transfer of wealth by donation while you are living, and through your estate after you die. The tax begins when the combined transfer exceeds the unified exemption. In 2018, that exemption was fixed at $11 million dollars for an individual, and $22 million dollars for a married couple. It is indexed for inflation, and for deaths occurring in calendar year 2024, the exempt amount is $13.61 million for an individual, and twice that for a married couple.

Louisiana has completely eliminated taxes on any inheritance, but for estates that are large enough to require a federal estate tax return, there is a Louisiana Estate Transfer Tax. Under the federal estate tax law, there is a credit for state death taxes that are paid, up to a certain amount. The Louisiana Estate Transfer Tax is designed to take advantage of the federal tax credit, and equals the amount of that credit.