Title 26, Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-110
§2012 Credit for Gift Tax
Title 26 › Subtitle B — Estate and Gift Taxes › CHAPTER 11 — ESTATE TAX › Subchapter A — Estates of Citizens or Residents › PART II — CREDITS AGAINST TAX › § 2012
Summary
If a gift tax was paid when someone gave property, and that same property is later counted in the giver’s estate at death, the estate gets a credit for the gift tax that was paid. The credit cannot be more than a share of the estate tax. That share equals the estate tax (after subtracting the basic estate tax credit under section 2010) multiplied by the part of the estate made up of the gift. For that share, use the lower value of the gift at the time it was given or at the time of death. When figuring the part of the estate from the gift, reduce the gift’s value by any amounts excluded under the gift tax quarterly/yearly exclusion and by any marital or charitable deductions allowed. If a gift was treated as half given by each spouse, each half is figured separately. The gift tax amount credited is the portion of the gift-tax paid for the quarter (or the year if the gift was before January 1, 1971) that matches the gift’s share of all taxable gifts that period, after reducing the gift for any marital or charitable deductions. No credit is allowed for gifts made after December 31, 1976.
Full Legal Text
Title 26, §2012
Internal Revenue Code, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In general
If a tax on a gift has been paid under chapter 12 (sec. 2501 and following), or under corresponding provisions of prior laws, and thereafter on the death of the donor any amount in respect of such gift is required to be included in the value of the gross estate of the decedent for purposes of this chapter, then there shall be credited against the tax imposed by section 2001 the amount of the tax paid on a gift under chapter 12, or under corresponding provisions of prior laws, with respect to so much of the property which constituted the gift as is included in the gross estate, except that the amount of such credit shall not exceed an amount which bears the same ratio to the tax imposed by section 2001 (after deducting from such tax the unified credit provided by section 2010) as the value (at the time of the gift or at the time of the death, whichever is lower) of so much of the property which constituted the gift as is included in the gross estate bears to the value of the entire gross estate reduced by the aggregate amount of the charitable and marital deductions allowed under section 2055, 2056, and 2106(a)(2).
(b)Valuation reductions
In applying, with respect to any gift, the ratio stated in subsection (a), the value at the time of the gift or at the time of the death, referred to in such ratio, shall be reduced—
(1)by such amount as will properly reflect the amount of such gift which was excluded in determining (for purposes of section 2503(a)), or of corresponding provisions of prior laws, the total amount of gifts made during the calendar quarter (or calendar year if the gift was made before January 1, 1971) in which the gift was made;
(2)if a deduction with respect to such gift is allowed under section 2056(a) (relating to marital deduction), then by the amount of such value, reduced as provided in paragraph (1); and
(3)if a deduction with respect to such gift is allowed under section 2055 or 2106(a)(2) (relating to charitable deduction), then by the amount of such value, reduced as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(c)Where gift considered made one-half by spouse
Where the decedent was the donor of the gift but, under the provisions of section 2513, or corresponding provisions of prior laws, the gift was considered as made one-half by his spouse—
(1)the term “the amount of the tax paid on a gift under chapter 12”, as used in subsection (a), includes the amounts paid with respect to each half of such gift, the amount paid with respect to each being computed in the manner provided in subsection (d); and
(2)in applying, with respect to such gift, the ratio stated in subsection (a), the value at the time of the gift or at the time of the death, referred to in such ratio, includes such value with respect to each half of such gift, each such value being reduced as provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (b).
(d)Computation of amount of gift tax paid
(1)Amount of tax
For purposes of subsection (a), the amount of tax paid on a gift under chapter 12, or under corresponding provisions of prior laws, with respect to any gift shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to the total tax paid for the calendar quarter (or calendar year if the gift was made before January 1, 1971) in which the gift was made as the amount of such gift bears to the total amount of taxable gifts (computed without deduction of the specific exemption) for such quarter or year.
(2)Amount of gift
For purposes of paragraph (1), the “amount of such gift” shall be the amount included with respect to such gift in determining (for the purposes of section 2503(a), or of corresponding provisions of prior laws) the total amount of gifts made during such quarter or year, reduced by the amount of any deduction allowed with respect to such gift under section 2522, or under corresponding provisions of prior laws (relating to charitable deduction), or under section 2523 (relating to marital deduction).
(e)Section inapplicable to gifts made after December 31, 1976
No credit shall be allowed under this section with respect to the amount of any tax paid under chapter 12 on any gift made after December 31, 1976.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–16 struck out “the credit for State death taxes provided by section 2011 and” before “the unified credit”. 1981—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 97–34 substituted “the amount of such value, reduced as provided in paragraph (1)” for “an amount which bears the same ratio to such value (reduced as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection) as the aggregate amount of the marital deductions allowed under section 2056(a) bears to the aggregate amount of such marital deductions computed without regard to subsection (c) thereof”. 1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–455, § 2001(c)(1)(B), substituted “provided by section 2011 and the unified credit provided by section 2010” for “provided by section 2011”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1902(a)(1)(A), added heading and substituted a comma for a dash after “deduction)” in pars. (2) and (3). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1902(a)(1)(B), added heading. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1902(a)(1)(C), (D), added headings for subsec. (d) and for pars. (1) and (2). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–455, § 2001(a)(3), added subsec. (e). 1970—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 91–614, § 102(d)(2)(A), substituted “the calendar quarter (or calendar year if the gift was made before
January 1, 1971)” for “the year”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 91–614, § 102(d)(2)(B), substituted “such quarter or year” for “such year” in two places. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 91–614, § 102(d)(2)(A), substituted “the calendar quarter (or calendar year if the gift was made before
January 1, 1971)” for “the year”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2001 Amendment Pub. L. 107–16, title V, § 532(d), June 7, 2001, 115 Stat. 75, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [enacting section 2058 of this title and amending this section and section 2011, 2013 to 2016, 2053, 2056A, 2102, 2106, 2107, 2201, 2604, 6511, and 6612 of this title] shall apply to estates of decedents dying, and generation-skipping transfers, after December 31, 2004.”
Effective Date
of 1981 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–34 applicable to estates of decedents dying after Dec. 31, 1981, but inapplicable under certain conditions under will executed before date which is 30 days after Aug. 13, 1981, or under trust created by such date, see section 403(e) of Pub. L. 97–34, set out as a note under section 2056 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1976 Amendment Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1902(c)(1), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1806, as amended by Pub. L. 95–600, title VII, § 703(j)(12), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2942, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by paragraphs (1) through (8), and paragraphs (12)(A), (B), and (C), of subsection (a) and by subsection (b) [amending this section and section 2011, 2013, 2016, 2038, 2053, 2055, 2056, 2106, 2107, 2108, 2201, 6167, and 6503 of this title, repealing section 2202 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 2201 of this title] shall apply in the case of estates of decedents dying after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 4, 1976], and the amendment made by paragraph (9) of subsection (a) [amending section 2204 of this title] shall apply in the case of estates of decedents dying after December 31, 1970.” Amendment by section 2001(a)(3), (c)(1)(B) of Pub. L. 94–455 applicable to estates of decedents dying after Dec. 31, 1976, see section 2001(d)(1) of Pub. L. 94–455, set out as a note under section 2001 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1970 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 91–614 applicable with respect to gifts made after Dec. 31, 1970, see section 102(e) of Pub. L. 91–614, set out as a note under section 2501 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 2012
Title 26, Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110