Dude?
Many families are faced with a stark proposition. If the life of an elderly wealthy family member extends into 2013, the tax bills will be substantially higher. An estate that could bequest $3 million this year will leave just $1.9 million after taxes next year. Shifting a death from January to December could produce $1.1 million in tax savings.
It may seem incredible to contemplate pulling the plug on grandma to save tax dollars. While we know that investors will sell stocks to avoid rising capital gains taxes, accelerating the death of a loved one seems at least a bit morbid—perhaps even evil. Will people really make life and death decisions based on taxes? Do we don our green eye shades when it comes to something this serious?
There is good evidence that there is some “elasticity” in the timing of important decisions about life and death.
It’s well-known that people can delay death, for example, in order to live through significant dates—birthdays, holidays, anniversaries.
Blowback
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Only a liberal would think like this.
CurtZHP on December 27, 2012 at 11:25 PM
Family death panels.
Plus, Germany trying to deport its elderly.
What a ‘wonderful’ world.
Schadenfreude on December 27, 2012 at 11:33 PM
I got grandma the DIY skydiving kit, but she refuses to go.
RINOs are people too on December 27, 2012 at 11:43 PM
That’s okay…they’re all probably Whites anyway. /sarc
OxyCon on December 27, 2012 at 11:50 PM
Too bad the 0bama’care’ death panels aren’t actually in operation already… Sibellius would be glad to help the bastids out.
Schadenfreude on December 27, 2012 at 11:50 PM
No doubt. If it was you…you’d tell your son-in-law to sign the papers and pull the plug and let God be God. I would.
Jaibones on December 27, 2012 at 11:52 PM
I hate what our country is becoming. To even verbalize these things. We are so lost.
hawkdriver on December 28, 2012 at 12:02 AM
It’s called a “perverse incentive.” Our government specializes in it. See also:
Welfare
“Affordable housing”
Unemployment
Tenure
GM Bailout
etc…
29Victor on December 28, 2012 at 12:09 AM
Sell low, die high.
Christien on December 28, 2012 at 12:15 AM
Yep – this passes the Dude test
22044 on December 28, 2012 at 12:32 AM
yeah, pretty sick.
but before you do anything drastic…i think this will be revised. Lots of big ranches, farms, etc.
even leftist obama was looking for 3.5M at one point.
However, i vividly remember Dick Gebhardt (when he was speaker) frothing over the estate tax…should go back to 650K (or whatever)…you see Dick was for the common people
r keller on December 28, 2012 at 1:05 AM
You can always book death early under accounts receivable. Problem solved and granny’s happy!
Shy Guy on December 28, 2012 at 3:46 AM
I would even say it qualifies to be in italics.
UltimateBob on December 28, 2012 at 4:41 AM
“At least we can let doctors know — and your mom know — that you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. Maybe you’re better off, uhh, not having the surgery, but, uhh, taking the painkiller.”
forest on December 28, 2012 at 6:54 AM
Hurry wealthy liberals. Only 3 days left:)
Clink on December 28, 2012 at 7:42 AM
Sadly, it’s going to take time for people to look back on the cultural insanity that came under Obama.
Without distance, it’s not possible to differentiate between W and Obama, let alone Reagan and Clinton.
And while some progs will try and stop or fog the conversation, facts and stats will just pour out.
Obama will end up like Wilson. A guy the left acknowledges within their circles by naming things after him, but as each generation passes, we will talk less and and less about him. Because time will show just how inept he really was.
budfox on December 28, 2012 at 9:49 AM