The Estate Tax is a tax on your right to transfer property at your death. Since the tax is imposed on the right of an estate to transfer the decedent's wealth the federal tax is referred toa as an Estate Tax.Tap the card to flip. Estate Taxes: Taxes on the transfer of assets upon death. Property Taxes: Taxes based on the value of real estate owned. The Constitution permits three classes of taxation: 1. Direct taxes, which must be apportioned among the states in proportion to their populations. Real estate excise tax (REET) is a tax on the sale of real property. Real property, or real estate, means any interest, estate, or beneficial interest in land. The Federal estate tax has applied to the transfer of property at death since 1916, as part of a unified system of transfer taxes.