Do I owe U.S. tax on an inheritance I received from India?
Generally no — the U.S. does not tax the recipient on an inheritance from a foreign person, so money you inherit from a relative in India is not subject to U.S. income tax when you receive it. There's no U.S. estate tax on you either; that tax falls on estates of U.S. persons, not on heirs of foreign decedents. But two things still apply. First, if the inheritance from a foreign individual or estate exceeds $100,000 in a year, you must file Form 3520 to report it — informational only, no tax, but penalties for skipping it. Second, once the assets are yours, future income they generate (interest, rent, dividends) is taxable, and the foreign accounts holding them become FBAR and Form 8938 reportable. So the inheritance itself is tax-free; the reporting and the ongoing income are what to manage. Keep documentation of the source and date of transfer.
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