Inheritances and donations: self-assessment to pay taxes

When talking about donations and inheritances, thoughts often turn to complex procedures, counterintuitive deadlines, and difficult-to-interpret taxes. Precisely to simplify and speed up the system, a significant change has come into force starting in 2025 that directly impacts the payment of inheritance tax and gift tax.

The reform provides for the introduction of self-assessment: the Revenue Agency will no longer calculate the tax and communicate the amount to the taxpayer, but the taxpayer will determine the amount due and pay it directly within the established deadlines.

What is self-assessment and what changes for the taxpayer

With the new self-assessment system, already used in other tax areas, the burden of calculating and paying the tax is transferred to the taxpayer. The new law concerns not only inheritance declarations, but also donations, thus extending a mechanism that aims to streamline processing and make the entire process more efficient.

In concrete terms, anyone receiving an inheritance or donation will have to independently handle:

• inheritance or gift tax;
• mortgage and land registry taxes, if the estate includes real estate;
• any other taxes related to the transfer of assets.

How the tax is calculated: value of the assets and degree of kinship

The tax calculation is based on two fundamental elements:

1. The overall value of the transferred assets, which must be correctly determined according to the criteria established by law;
2. The degree of kinship between the person transferring the assets and the recipient, which determines the applicable tax rates and exemptions.

Depending on the family relationship (spouse, children, other relatives, or unrelated parties), the exemption thresholds and tax percentages vary, with significant effects on the final amount due.

Advantages and risks of self-assessment

The new system certainly makes the procedure faster, avoiding waiting for communications from the Revenue Agency. However, it also entails greater responsibility for the taxpayer.

Any error in the tax calculation falls directly on the person filing the return. In the event of subsequent audits, the Revenue Agency may require payment of the tax difference, the application of penalties, and the payment of accrued interest. Self-assessment requires particular attention both in the valuation of assets and in the correct application of tax breaks provided for by current legislation. Relying on professionals is not always mandatory, but it often represents a prudent choice. The Agenzia delle Successioni can verify the correct composition of the assets, correctly apply deductibles and rates, and identify any tax breaks. and prevent errors that, over time, can become financially costly.