text: how much cash can someone give you before it's taxable?   actually, the $11,000 limit is the amount above which you have to report the gift to the irs. if you give below $11,000, you don't even have to tell the irs you did it. you can do that once each year.  if you give someone more than $11,000 in any one year, you have to report the amount to the irs. however, the giver doesn't have to pay taxes on that amount automatically. instead, the amount is documented and added to any future gifts reported to the irs. once that amount hits $1 million, then the irs begins taxing it. before then, nobody gets taxed on the gifts.  that's why the hubbub over the estate tax is such a joke (also called by some politicians the "death tax."). how many people do you know that will have $1 million dollars to give to their heirs when they die (including any value of a home, for example)? i don't know too many. the estate tax as it is now written only affects a small percentage of the richest people in the country.  i hope that helps.