Updated October 5, 2026. Quick answer: No. Wisconsin has no inheritance tax for a death in 2026. The Department of Revenue says there is no “Wisconsin inheritance tax for decedents dying on or after January 1, 1992”.
Wisconsin inheritance tax at a glance
| Item | What the documents say |
|---|---|
| State inheritance tax | None |
| What the documents say | The Department of Revenue says there is no Wisconsin inheritance tax for decedents dying on or after January 1, 1992 |
| State estate tax | None: the Department of Revenue says there is no estate tax for decedents dying after December 31, 2007 |
| Source | Wisconsin Department of Revenue; IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 |
What the Wisconsin documents say
The Department of Revenue’s page on estate, inheritance and gift tax returns says there is no “Wisconsin inheritance tax for decedents dying on or after January 1, 1992” and directs families of earlier decedents to contact the department.
The same page says “There is no estate tax for decedents dying after December 31, 2007”.
What an heir in Wisconsin still faces
The federal estate tax is paid by the estate, with a 2026 basic exclusion amount of “$15,000,000 for calendar year 2026”. Wisconsin has no estate tax either: “There is no estate tax for decedents dying after December 31, 2007”. CMG’s Wisconsin estate tax page covers it.
An heir’s basis under 26 U.S.C. 1014(a) is generally the value at “the date of the decedent’s death”. Inherited retirement money is an income tax question: Wisconsin 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, the inherited IRA RMD calculator and Wisconsin probate cost cover the rest.
How current the Wisconsin documents are
Read on October 5, 2026: Estates, Trusts, and Fiduciaries (Wisconsin Department of Revenue, dated 2026).
Common mistakes
- Contacting the department about a Wisconsin inheritance tax for a recent death; its cutoff is January 1, 1992.
Related: inheritance tax by state, Wisconsin estate tax, Wisconsin probate cost, and how Wisconsin taxes 401(k) and IRA withdrawals.
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Answer againSources
- Estates, Trusts, and Fiduciaries: https://www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/FAQS/ise-estate.aspx
- Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (Internal Revenue Service): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-32.pdf
- 26 U.S.C. 1014 Basis of property acquired from a decedent (U.S. Code, 2023 edition, GovInfo): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2023-title26/html/USCODE-2023-title26-subtitleA-chap1-subchapO-partII-sec1014.htm
Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 5, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a tax professional or the state agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.