started · updated
Brazil's tax reform drives record surge in property donations
The tax reform approved in December 2023 introduced a new calculation basis for the state inheritance and donation tax (ITCMD), shifting from book value to market value and allowing rates up to 8 percent. Anticipating higher future taxes, families across Brazil have begun transferring assets before the new rules fully apply. The Notary College of Brazil (CNB) reports that 185,861 public deeds of donation were registered in 2025, a 59 % increase over the 116,225 deeds recorded in 2020 and the highest figure in the series.
The surge reflects a “race” to notary offices and to the CNB’s digital e‑notary platform, where the process is faster and fully electronic. State and district authorities have different rate structures – the Federal District applies a progressive 4‑6 % rate, while São Paulo is debating proposals ranging from a 4 % cap to the 8 % maximum. Experts such as CNB president Eduardo Calais and patrimonial planner Joanna Oliveira Rezende Barbosa say the trend is expected to continue as more families seek to secure succession plans under the new tax regime.