Beneficiaries may have to pay federal estate taxes if the total value of your estate is over $12.06 million. If you live in a state that charges an estate tax and the value of your estate exceeds your state's threshold (ranging from $1 million to $7 million, depending on the state) they may be subject to state tax as well. Even if your state does not charge estate taxes, your beneficiaries may have to pay taxes if the state in which they live has an inheritance tax.