Marital Deduction Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Marital Deduction.

Marital Deduction (noun)

A legal term, the 'Marital Deduction' refers to a tax provision that allows a surviving spouse to receive a certain percentage (often 50%) less on the estate tax due on the value of the property inherited from the deceased spouse. This provision works to lessen the financial burden of estate tax for the surviving spouse.