Hi there,
This weekend, I watched my daughter April take the stage in her very first high school musical, Matilda. She glowed — full theater-kid joy, nerves, and sparkle.
What moved me even more was who showed up for her. In addition to our Michigan family, my mother-in-law came up from Tennessee, and my brother, dad, and dad's partner, Sarah, drove in from the Adirondacks. They drove 10 long hours, weaving through Canada, just to watch a two-hour performance, give April pink roses and a hug, and drive back home the next morning.
In a season that’s become synonymous with buying, wrapping, shipping, and swiping, I was reminded that the gift we remember longest is presence. The kind that requires effort, not Amazon.
So, yes, today we’re talking about gifts and the federal gift tax, but with this reminder in the background: not all gifts have a dollar value, and the IRS only tracks one category.
That said, monetary generosity matters, too, and it’s something people ask me about every year, including a listener from Washington state this week: “If I give money to my nieces and nephews this
holiday season, do I owe gift tax?”
It seems like a quick yes-or-no question, but (of course) the truth is more nuanced. This episode breaks it all down so you can give confidently without unintentionally creating government filing requirements.
