An Act To Amend the Estate Tax Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0501
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: STUCKEY, ALLEY, BRYANT, GOODE, HAMANN, MOONEN, TIPPING-SPITZ
Amends: 36 MRSA §4102, 36 MRSA §4103

Legislative Document 
No. 501 
H.P. 340 
House of Representatives, February 24, 2015 
An Act To Amend the Estate Tax Laws 
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative STUCKEY of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: ALLEY of Beals, BRYANT of Windham, GOODE of 
Bangor, HAMANN of South Portland, MOONEN of Portland, TIPPING-SPITZ of Orono. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  36 MRSA §4102, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. M, §9, is 
amended to read: 
5.  Maine exclusion amount.  "Maine exclusion amount" means $2,000,000 for the 
estates of decedents who die after December 31, 2012 but before January 1, 2016 and 
$1,000,000 for the estates of decedents who die on or after January 1, 2016. 
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA §4103, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. M, §9, is 
amended to read: 
1.  Imposition of tax; decedents who die after December 31, 2012 but before 
January 1, 2016.  A tax is imposed on the transfer of the Maine taxable estate of every 
person who, at the time of death, was a resident of this State.  The amount of tax for the 
estates of decedents who die after December 31, 2012 but before January 1, 2016 is 
determined as provided in this section subsection. 
A.  If the Maine taxable estate is $2,000,000 or less, the tax is $0. 
B.  If the Maine taxable estate is more than $2,000,000 but no more than $5,000,000, 
the tax is 8% of the excess over $2,000,000. 
C.  If the Maine taxable estate is more than $5,000,000 but no more than $8,000,000, 
the tax is $240,000 plus 10% of the excess over $5,000,000. 
D.  If the Maine taxable estate is more than $8,000,000, the tax is $540,000 plus 12% 
of the excess over $8,000,000. 
The amount of this tax is multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the value of 
that portion of the decedent's adjusted federal gross estate that consists of real and 
tangible personal property located in this State plus the value of all intangible personal 
property and the denominator of which is the value of the decedent's adjusted federal 
gross estate. 
Sec. 3.  36 MRSA §4103, sub-§1-A is enacted to read: 
1-A.  Imposition of tax; decedents who die on or after January 1, 2016.  A tax is 
imposed on the transfer of the Maine taxable estate of every person who, at the time of 
death, was a resident of this State. The amount of tax for the estates of decedents who die 
on or after January 1, 2016 is determined as provided in this subsection. 
A.  If the Maine taxable estate is $1,000,000 or less, the tax is $0. 
B.  If the Maine taxable estate is more than $1,000,000 but no more than $5,000,000, 
the tax is 8% of the excess over $1,000,000. 
C.  If the Maine taxable estate is more than $5,000,000 but no more than $8,000,000, 
the tax is $240,000 plus 10% of the excess over $5,000,000. 
D.  If the Maine taxable estate is more than $8,000,000, the tax is $540,000 plus 12% 
of the excess over $8,000,000. 
The amount of this tax is multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the value of 
that portion of the decedent's adjusted federal gross estate that consists of real and 
tangible personal property located in this State plus the value of all intangible personal 
property and the denominator of which is the value of the decedent's adjusted federal 
gross estate. 
SUMMARY 
This bill reduces the $2,000,000 Maine exclusion amount for the Maine estate tax to 
$1,000,000 for the estates of decedents who die on or after January 1, 2016.