Why the Estate Tax Should Stay

“Repeal of the estate tax imposes significant costs on the taxpaying public and promotes concentrations of wealth that harm our democracy,” says a Boston College law professor. “Why should inherited wealth receive a free pass?,” asks professor Ray Madoff. “The most common reason given is that this money has already been subject to tax when it was earned by the decedent and to do so again would constitute ‘double taxation.’ But there is no general principle that says income or property gets taxed only once. To the contrary, property is often subject to multiple taxation when it is used for different purposes…”