How to Avoid Kiddie Tax When Gifting Stocks to Your Children

 

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How to Avoid Kiddie Tax When Gifting Stocks to Your Children

Gifting stocks to your children can be a smart financial move, especially for long-term wealth building.

However, if not done properly, you might run into the “Kiddie Tax,” which could reduce the tax savings you initially hoped for.

In this post, we’ll go over effective, legal strategies to avoid or reduce the Kiddie Tax burden.

📌 Table of Contents

What Is the Kiddie Tax?

The Kiddie Tax is a federal tax rule in the U.S. that taxes a child’s unearned income above a certain amount at the parent’s tax rate.

It applies to children under age 19, and full-time students under age 24, who don’t support themselves with earned income.

For 2024, the first $1,300 of unearned income is tax-free, the next $1,300 is taxed at the child’s rate, and anything over $2,600 is taxed at the parent’s rate.

Use the Annual Gift Tax Exclusion

In 2024, you can give up to $18,000 per person annually without incurring a gift tax.

If you and your spouse both contribute, that goes up to $36,000.

This keeps your gifts tax-free and allows strategic timing of stock transfers.

Split the Stock Gifting Over Multiple Years

Instead of transferring a large number of shares all at once, consider spreading them over several years.

This allows you to take advantage of the annual exclusion multiple times and reduces the total unearned income your child receives in one year.

Take Advantage of the Child’s Standard Deduction

In 2024, a dependent child gets a standard deduction of $1,300 or their earned income plus $400, whichever is greater.

By keeping the gifted stock’s annual income under this limit, you could potentially avoid any Kiddie Tax altogether.

Let the Child Sell Stock Over Time

After gifting, allow the child to sell stocks gradually over multiple years.

This strategy helps keep their annual unearned income below the Kiddie Tax threshold.

It also takes advantage of their 0% capital gains rate if they fall in the lowest tax bracket.

Choose Tax-Efficient Investments

Some investments generate less taxable income than others.

Consider ETFs or index funds that don’t pay large dividends or capital gains distributions.

This way, the gifted assets grow without creating too much unearned income annually.

Use Custodial Accounts Carefully

UGMA and UTMA accounts are common ways to hold gifted stocks for children.

However, these accounts are taxed to the minor and could trigger the Kiddie Tax.

Review annual gains, and pair this with selling stock gradually to manage the tax burden.

Conclusion

Gifting stocks to your child is a great long-term financial tool—but you must navigate the Kiddie Tax with care.

By using annual gift exclusions, timing asset sales, and selecting the right types of investments, you can preserve both the gift and the tax benefits.

Consulting a tax professional is always a smart move to ensure you’re within IRS guidelines.

📘 Learn More About Kiddie Tax Strategies

Keywords: Kiddie Tax, stock gifting children, avoid child tax, capital gains kids, tax-free investing