China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

Does China Have Inheritance Tax? - CFM 101 Series

Mon, 20 Dec 2021
Contributors: Meng Yu 余萌
Editor: C. J. Observer

avatar

No, China has no inheritance tax.

If you inherit the money, you do not need to pay tax at all.

If you inherit the real estate, you need to pay tax for the transfer of the property.

But generally speaking, there is little inheritance tax payable by heirs in China.

For more information, you can read How Much Tax Will I Pay on My Inheritance in China?

Or you can read the following content.

1. Inheritance tax: N/A

At present, China has neither imposed inheritance tax, nor issued regulations or draft regulations related thereto.

This is the official statement of China’s Ministry of Finance in 2017.

2. Fee for inheritance right notarization: 0.5 ~ 2% of the estate

If you want to inherit the deposit in the decedent’s bank account or the house of the decedent, you need to prove to the bank or the house registration authority that you have the right to inherit.

In China, this requires you to obtain a notarial certificate issued by a notary office to prove your inheritance right.

If you intend to use the notarial certificate to prove that you have the right to inherit an estate, then you have to pay the notary office a notarization fee according to a certain proportion of the market price of the estate.

The prices charged by notary offices vary from each other in China.

Generally, this proportion ranges from 0.5 to 2%.

3. Deed tax: 1 ~ 5% of the house price

If you want to inherit the decedent’s house, you need to pay deed tax.

Specifically:

(1) If you are the legal heir of the decedent, you are not required to pay deed tax.

For example, if you are the children, spouse, parents, siblings, grandparents of the decedent, you do not need to pay deed tax.

(2) Otherwise, you need to pay deed tax.

The deed tax rate ranges from 1 to 5% (i.e., 1 ~ 5% of the house price) as the case may be.

4. House evaluation fee: within 0.5% of the house price

If you need to pay deed tax, then you need to prove the house price to determine the taxation base thereof.

At this time, you need to hire a professional agency to evaluate the house at a price usually within 0.5% of the house price.

5. Income tax in the future: 20%

Although you don’t need to pay inheritance tax at inheritance, you need to pay income tax if you sell the estate in the future.

At this time, your income will be the sale income of the estate minus the expenses paid by you at inheritance (such as deed tax).

You need to pay 20% personal income tax for this income.

Of course, this income tax is only payable when you sell the estate in the future.

Therefore, you do not have to pay income tax on inheritance.

 

 

The Cross-border Family Matters 101 Series (‘CFM 101 Series’) provides an introduction to China-related cross-border family matters (marriage and succession), and covers the knowledge essential to cross-border family matter management.

 

* * *

Do you need support in Cross-Border Family Matters (Marriage and Succession)?

CJO Family's team can provide you with China-based consulting service, including case assessment and management, background check, and debt collection (‘Last Mile’ Service). If you encounter any problems in cross-border family matters, or if you wish to share your story, you can contact our Client Manager Julia Yuan (julia.yuan@chinajusticeobserver.com).

CJO Family is a product of China Justice Observer.

If you want to know more about CJO Family, please click here.

If you want to know more about CJO Family cross-border family matters service, please click here.

If you wish to read more CJO Family articles on cross-border family matters, please click here.

 

Photo by billow926 on Unsplash

Contributors: Meng Yu 余萌

Save as PDF

You might also like

China Revises National Defense Education Law

In September 2024, the newly revised “National Defense Education Law of the People’s Republic of China” was passed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and came into effect on 21 September.

China Updates Regulation for State Secrets Law

In June 2024, China revised the implementing regulation for its State Secrets Law, enhancing classification procedures, personnel confidentiality management, and secrecy inspection standards.

China Issues Regulation on Rare Earth Administration

In April 2024, China introduced its first comprehensive regulation on rare earth management, addressing production, circulation, and reserves to ensure a regulated market and sustainable industry development.

China Revises Frontier Health and Quarantine Law

In June 2024, China revised its Frontier Health and Quarantine Law (国境卫生检疫法) to enhance measures against infectious disease transmission, including new quarantine protocols and medical priority for affected individuals.

China Issues New Regulations to Combat Cyber Violence

In June 2024, China's Cyberspace Administration, along with several ministries, issued new regulations to strengthen the governance of cyber violence, focusing on content management, user protection, and legal accountability.

China Enacts Tariff Law

In April 2024, China's legislature adopted the Tariff Law, effective December 1, 2024, establishing the legislative framework for tariff administration and clarifying tariff authorities, payers, exemptions, and preferential policies.

China Enacts Academic Degrees Law

China's legislature passed the Academic Degrees Law to regulate degree granting, ensure degree quality, and protect the rights of degree applicants, effective January 1, 2025.