Do you own a home in Oregon or Washington? You may already owe estate taxes without realizing it — and in Oregon, the exemption threshold hasn’t moved in over a decade.
In this video, Tammi Caress, founder of Caress Law and an estate planning attorney licensed in both Oregon and Washington, breaks down everything that’s changed — and hasn’t — in Pacific Northwest estate tax law for 2026.
What You’ll Learn
- Oregon’s $1 million estate tax exemption, frozen since 2012, with tax rates ranging from 10–16%
- Washington’s $3 million exemption and 20% top tax rate — and why that rate was 35% just last year
- Real client examples, including how a $1.4M home plus retirement accounts can trigger a $200,000 estate tax bill
- Why owning out-of-state property — a Washington cabin or an Oregon coastal home — can pull you into a second state’s estate tax system
- How a properly structured LLC can help remove non-resident real estate from estate tax exposure
- The unlimited marital deduction and QTIP trusts — and why leaving everything outright to your spouse can waste a valuable exemption
- Washington’s newer capital gains tax (7–9.9%) and the upcoming “millionaire’s tax” on income over $1 million, effective January 1, 2028
- Annual gifting strategies, including the $19,000-per-person gift exclusion (Oregon and Washington have no state-level gift tax)
Why This Matters for Oregon and Washington Families
Estate taxes catch many Pacific Northwest families off guard — not because they consider themselves wealthy, but because home values and retirement accounts have quietly appreciated over decades. A home purchased for $300,000 that’s now worth over $1 million, combined with a lifetime of retirement contributions, can be enough to trigger a significant tax bill that families never saw coming.
Whether you’re a lifelong Oregonian, a longtime Washington resident, or you own property in either state without living there, understanding where you stand today is the first step toward protecting what you’ve built.
Take the Next Step
The right planning can reduce — or in some cases eliminate — estate taxes for your family. But every strategy discussed in this video only works if you plan for it in advance.
Ready to talk through your own estate plan? Schedule a Consultation or register for one of our free upcoming workshops.
Want to keep learning? Explore our full library of free blogs, on-demand webinars, and downloadable guides.
Caress Law, PC proudly serves clients throughout Oregon and Washington.
