You can tithe the full inheritance, treat the principal as already tithed and give from its future income instead, or prayerfully choose a different percentage altogether. Scripture gives you freedom here, not a fixed formula, so the healthiest next step is simple: pray, talk with your pastor or a trusted Christian mentor, and decide together as a family. In the United States, any gift you make from inherited money is a voluntary act of worship, never a legal requirement.
TL;DR:
- New Testament teaching emphasizes cheerful, proportionate giving rather than a required percentage, although some interpretations place Israel’s combined tithes near 20% to 23%.
- Before choosing an amount, settle estate costs, debts, funeral expenses, and executor fees, then discuss your plan with a pastor or trusted Christian mentor.
- Families with income producing assets may leave the principal untouched and tithe rent, dividends, or interest, while others combine a one time gift with future giving.
- U.S. federal law treats inheritance as an asset transfer, not taxable income; cash gift deductions have limits, so consult a tax adviser about large gifts.
Table of Contents
- What the Bible says about tithes and inheritance giving
- The common positions Christians hold on tithing an inheritance
- A step-by-step checklist for deciding how much to give
- What U.S. tax law actually says about inheritance and giving
- How different families handle this in real life
- Family-first stewardship over legalism
- Let the Bible Money Book guide your family's next step
- FAQ
- Sources
What the Bible says about tithes and inheritance giving
The Old Testament tithe supported the Levites and the temple system, a structured tenth that kept Israel's worship and priesthood running. Many readers picture that tenth as the whole biblical giving standard, but the New Testament reframes the conversation. Paul's instructions in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 shift the emphasis from a required percentage to a generous, cheerful heart: "each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." That passage, along with the broader argument laid out by Desiring God, is why many pastors teach that tithing functions today as a guiding principle rather than a legal rule carried over from Moses.
Some readings point to multiple tithes across the calendar that pushed the real total closer to 20 to 23 percent of a household's increase.
The common positions Christians hold on tithing an inheritance
Walk into most Bible studies and you will hear recurring answers, each with real theological footing behind it.
- Tithe the principal: give 10% or another chosen percentage of the full inheritance, treating it the same as any other increase.
- Tithe only future income: skip the principal, reasoning that the original giver likely already tithed that money during their lifetime, then tithe the dividends, rent, or interest it generates going forward.
- Let conviction set the amount: some families give more than 10%, others phase a gift over several years, following the proportionate and cheerful giving Paul describes rather than a fixed rule.
Adventist Stewardship frames the disagreement well: those who favor tithing the full amount point to the biblical pattern of giving from all increase, while those who favor skipping the principal argue that doing so taxes the same dollars twice. Neither position is unbiblical. The real question is which one reflects your own convictions after prayer, not which one wins the argument.
A step-by-step checklist for deciding how much to give
Big decisions get easier when you break them into small, ordered steps. Here is a sequence that keeps the process calm instead of rushed.
- Pray first and bring the decision to your pastor or a trusted Christian mentor before you commit to a number.
- Settle estate costs, debts, funeral expenses, and executor fees before setting aside any discretionary gift.
- Weigh your main options, tithing the principal, tithing ongoing income, or committing to a phased percentage, and notice which one fits your family's situation and convictions.
- Decide where the gift goes, your local church, missions, or a neighbor in need, and whether it arrives as one gift or several over time.
- Write the decision down and tell the people who need to know, your spouse, the estate executor, or your church treasurer, so the process stays transparent.
Pro Tip: Write your decision and the reasoning behind it in one paragraph before you give; it keeps future conversations with family calm and consistent.
A checklist like the Families: Tithe Checklist can walk you through the same gross-versus-net questions you will face here, since an inheritance raises many of the same practical choices as a paycheck.
What U.S. tax law actually says about inheritance and giving
Federal law treats an inheritance as a transfer of estate assets, not as taxable income, and there is no legal requirement anywhere in the IRS estate tax rules to tithe or donate any portion of it. Whatever you give from inherited funds is entirely voluntary. If you do give, charitable deductions for cash gifts are generally limited to a percentage of your adjusted gross income, so anyone handling a sizable estate should talk with a tax adviser before finalizing large gifts.
If you are the one planning to leave money to your church in a will, a fixed dollar amount is usually simpler for an executor to administer than a percentage, since a percentage gift can entitle the recipient to review the entire estate's inventory and expenses, according to Meshiv Kahalachah's discussion of related inheritance-giving questions. Families drafting a will with this kind of specific gift in mind may find it worth reviewing wording guidance for specific bequests before finalizing the language.
How different families handle this in real life
A modest inheritance, say a few thousand dollars from a grandparent, often gets split simply: pay off any remaining funeral or estate costs first, give a meaningful percentage to the local church, and set the rest toward savings or debt.
- Large windfall: families receiving a larger sum often bring in both a pastor and a financial adviser, then choose phased giving over several years rather than one lump gift, protecting immediate family needs along the way.
- Income-producing inheritance: when the inheritance is a rental property or an investment account, many families leave the principal alone and tithe the ongoing dividends, rent, or interest as part of their regular giving rhythm, a position supported by Jewish tithing tradition on inherited assets as well.
- Mixed inheritance: some families tithe a one-time gift from the principal and then continue tithing any income the remainder produces, blending two of the common positions into one plan.
Family-first stewardship over legalism
Our guide is built around one conviction: families make better financial decisions when they feel covered by grace, not pressured by guilt. An inheritance decision deserves the same spirit. Keep it simple, keep it prayerful, and let your local church walk with you rather than hand down a rule.
— James
Let the Bible Money Book guide your family's next step
Deciding how to steward an inheritance gets easier with a simple framework in front of you instead of a blank page. Our Bible Money Book offers practical guidance built around biblical principles, all for $1, so you and your spouse can talk through the decision together instead of guessing your way through it.
- Practical guidance to help your family think through its decision.
- Conversation prompts designed to keep the discussion calm, prayerful, and free of guilt.
- A practical implementation guide to help you take the next step.
If your family wants a practical, Bible-rooted plan for this decision, visit the Bible Money Book landing page and get started today.
FAQ
Do you tithe your inheritance?
Scripture does not command a specific percentage for inheritance money, so whether you tithe it is a personal, prayerful decision rather than a fixed rule. Many Christians choose to tithe the principal, tithe only the income it generates, or give a different proportion based on conviction and counsel from their church.
What are the basic principles of tithing?
The Old Testament tithe supported the Levites and temple worship through a structured tenth of a household's increase. The New Testament shifts the emphasis toward cheerful, proportionate, and sacrificial giving, as 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 describe, rather than a legally binding percentage.
What does the Bible say about parents leaving an inheritance?
The Bible speaks positively of parents leaving an inheritance for their children, viewing it as part of responsible provision across generations. It does not specify how heirs must use that inheritance, leaving the giving decision to each believer's conscience and church counsel.
What are the consequences of not paying tithes according to the Bible?
The Old Testament associates withholding tithes with robbing God, language tied to Israel's covenant obligations under the Mosaic law. Under New Testament teaching and U.S. law alike, giving from an inheritance is voluntary, so there is no legal or scriptural penalty for choosing a different giving amount after prayerful discernment, as the IRS estate tax guidance confirms for the civil side of the question.
Sources
For the legal and tax side of this decision, the IRS estate tax guidance explains how inheritance is treated as an asset transfer rather than taxable income. For the theological side, GotQuestions.org and Desiring God both offer clear breakdowns of how Old Testament tithing and New Testament generosity apply to unusual income like an inheritance.
If you want to keep working through the practical side at home, our tithe checklist for gross or net income and our guide to biblical budgeting for families both pair well with this decision. For families who want Scripture close at hand during the conversation, this list of Bible verses about money is a good place to start.
- Irs
- Gotquestions
- Every Penny Is from Heaven | Desiring God
- Must one give Ma'aser Kesafim from inheritance money, and what is the Torah source for Ma'aser Kesafim? - Meshiv Kahalachah