Posted on 07/19/2010 6:24:18 AM PDT by rhema
The old expression was "What would you do if you had six months to live?"
This year, it's "What would you do if you had six months to die?"
The clock is ticking on free death in America. Last week we saw an amazing example of a good news/sad news scenario.
George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees, died of a heart attack at age 80. But by dying in 2010, his family avoided $500 million in estate taxes that it would have paid if he'd hung on another year.
Why? Because the inheritance tax is in exile this year. The rate is zero. Next year it jumps to 55 percent. That's right. From zero to 55 at a stroke of midnight. A Maserati doesn't go that fast.
This is simmering into some uncomfortable scenarios. Sure, in Steinbrenner's case you could say, "It was his time." There's still six months to go.
But what if he took ill in December? What if he were on life support at Christmas? Five hundred million dollars might be a compelling motivator…
You get the drift.
Crazy. Look, I have said this before. The estate tax is blatantly unfair and, in my mind, indefensible. I have heard all the arguments for it. They go like this:
1. If you allow wealth to stay with the wealthy, you're perpetuating a class system.
Nonsense. This isn't England in the 1500s. You can get rich many ways in this country. Besides, you're not giving your wealth to the poor with estate taxes; you're giving it to the government. What class are we perpetuating there?
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
But by dying in 2010, his family avoided $500 million in estate taxes that it would have paid if he’d hung on another year. Why? Because the inheritance tax is in exile this year.
I’d shoot myself if I were 80, and sick, and I could save for my family $500,000,000 ...
Well, maybe ...
I’d be worrying more about the heirs watching a lot of CSI and Forensic Files in that situation.
How disgusting is this? Shame on the GOP for not making these cuts permanent from the start. Why is it that a MINORITY of progressive/Marxists in congress always seems to get its way, but when the GOP is in the MAJORITY they can never get their full agenda in? Does this seem right?
On the other hand 500 million would do wonders if it went directly towards the debt. Of course that won’t happen. Why can’t these folks find a way to pay off the debt. If I was President that would be my number one priority. I would piss off so many people that I would never win a second term but the debt would be significantly lowered. I would take checks from people who want to pay towards the debt (I know FREEPERS hate that Idea for some idiotic reason). I would close down many departments and consolidate many. Welfare would be postponed for a year. Social Security would be only for 65 years and older (no early SS or anyone under 65 does not get a dime. A parent who dies needs to be insured for their children...not governments job). The quarters would go from 40 quarters to 160 quarters....YEP that is 40 years straight working and if you only have 159 quarters you don’t get a dime. We would be in much better shape after my administration at least financially.
Is the house included in this? If that is the case than I am over a million, if the house is not included than I am good to go for now.
I’m not an accountant, but most articles I’ve read say the house is included, which makes sense since that’s the biggest part of anyone’s estate. I saw one article (wish I could remember where) that said the days of selling the family farm in order to pay the death tax are back.
Well the good news is thanks to Jug-Ears the value of your home isn’t likely to climb in the near future. If anything, it’ll be the opposite, so maybe you won’t get hit by the death tax.
NO. It REALLY wouldn't.
Whose money is it? So you are saying that under your plan, somebody who worked 39 years and 9 months paying into social security would forfeit all the money he had paid into it? Sounds like a good plan -- if you think "Logan's Run" was a good blueprint as well.
They didn't have a "significant" majority in the house, and they didn't even have a functional majority in the senate when you consider the RINO sisters from Maine, along with McCain and Ailing Sphincter. They took what they could get, and counted on being able to pressure the dems to extend the tax cuts. They tried to make them permanent, but even when they still had a majority the dems were able to block every attempt to make them permanent.
How many plugs will be pulled on terminally ill wealthy individuals, by their loving families, in December?
[ I would take checks from people who want to pay towards the debt (I know FREEPERS hate that Idea for some idiotic reason). ]
You can already donate money toward paying down the national debt on your tax return. Do you?
I did not know that. I promise that if it went DIRECTLY towards it I would.
Well it is certainly better than what it is now....40 quarters...please that is 10 years. Way too low for SS in my opinion. 39 years and 9 months is not 40 years is it? For someone who is conservative you don’t sound it in your post.
I thought you could, but I’m not seeing that line on the 2009 1040. I sure thought it used to be there.
Thanks for checking. One area I do say no to is the Presidential campaign because it does not allow us to chose which party to send the money too. I could imagine that if I had said yes to the 3 bucks it might end up in Obama’s coffers...lol.
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