Equity And The Taxation Of Wealth Transfers

This report describes the ways in which OECD member countries tax inheritances, gifts, net wealth and capital gains and examines the main policy issues in these areas.

If you want to take a problem approach to estate and gift taxation, be sure to consider this new casebook. Federal Taxation of Wealth Transfers emphasizes planning and integrates problems with statutes, regulation cases and administrative regulations to create a teachable, accessible casebook. Instructors will appreciate the casebookiquest;s logical, flexible organization: Begins with general introductory chapters covering history and policy, income tax issues, and valuation and calculation of the tax. Discrete sections address gift tax, estate tax, deductions and credits, and generation-skipping tax. Each part of the book is self contained for easy reorganization to fit various teaching approaches. the author encourages student comprehension: Ample textual material puts the cases and problems in context. Problems have been extensively class-tested for effectiveness. Emphasis on problem-solving, statutory construction, and policy analysis skills. the casebook is the ideal length for a three-credit basic wealth transfer tax class. Problems foster discussion not only of rules, but also of policy and planning issues. an in-depth Teacher's Manual includes analysis of the cases and problems. For a modern exposition of the full range of tax implications involved in the transfer of wealth, turn to Federal Taxation of Wealth Transfers: Cases and Problems .

On 8 November 1995 we organized the conference Is Inheritance Legitimate? Ethical and Economic Aspects of Wealth Transfers at the University of Antwerp (UFSIA). The conference brought together economists, philosophers and other social scientists to discuss the issues of bequest and inheritance. The conference programme featured five invited contributions; the revised versions of these five papers consitute the core of this book (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7). Also included in this book are the written versions of the comments presented by the two discussants (Chapters 5 and 8). We also gave the opportunity to the authors who defended two radically different opinions on bequest and inheritance to comment upon one another's position (Chapters 9 and 10). Chapter 1 serves as an introduction; it situates the debate on inheritance in a broader ethical and economic framework, and summarizes the main points of the book. The conference was organized as part of a research project funded by the Flemish Fonds voor Wetenschap'pelijk Onderzoek (project number G. 0032. 95). Within UFSIA the conference was hosted by the 'Vakgroep Arbeidseconomie' of the Studiecentrum voor Economisch en Sociaal Onderzoek (SESO) and the Centrum voor Ethiek. The secretarial staff of SESO, in particular Annernarie Bunneghem and Linda Teunkens, did an excellent job in organizing the conference. Patricia De Bruyn and Tom Schatteman were extremely helpful in preparing the manuscript for the publisher. Antwerp, January 1997. Guido Erreygers and Toon Vandevelde, Editors CONTENTS Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This report examines and assesses the current and historical use of net wealth taxes, defined as recurrent taxes on individual net assets, in OECD countries. It provides background on the use of wealth taxes over time in OECD countries as well as on trends in income and wealth inequality. It then assesses the case for and against the use of a net wealth tax to raise revenues and reduce inequality, based on efficiency, equity and tax administration considerations. The effects of personal capital income taxes and taxes on wealth transfers are also discussed to understand how these taxes interact with net wealth taxes. Finally, the report looks at practical tax design issues and shows that the way a net wealth tax is designed can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and fairness of the tax. The report concludes with a number of practical tax policy recommendations regarding net wealth taxes.

This report examines and assesses the current and historical use of net wealth taxes, defined as recurrent taxes on individual net assets, in OECD countries. It provides background on the use of wealth taxes over time in OECD countries as well as on trends in income and wealth inequality. It then assesses the case for and against the use of a net wealth tax to raise revenues and reduce inequality, based on efficiency, equity and tax administration considerations. The effects of personal capital income taxes and taxes on wealth transfers are also discussed to understand how these taxes interact with net wealth taxes. Finally, the report looks at practical tax design issues and shows that the way a net wealth tax is designed can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and fairness of the tax. The report concludes with a number of practical tax policy recommendations regarding net wealth taxes.

With an emphasis on tax planning, Federal Taxation of Wealth Transfers: Cases and Problems integrates stimulating problems with statutes, regulations, and cases to create a highly teachable and student-friendly casebook. This casebook emphasizes problem solving, statutory construction, and policy-analysis skills, and is ideal for 2- or 3-credit courses in estate and gift taxation. The text has been expanded to feature new cases, administrative rulings, and studies. Existing cases and text have been edited or deleted to highlight essential themes. The casebook is logically organized but its flexible organization accommodates reorganizing material to fit individual course structures, and could be used for a basic wealth transfer tax class or to complement an estate planning course. New to the 5th Edition: Alyssa A. DiRusso joins as a co-author, bringing her background in high-net-worth practice and in-house fiduciary administration to broaden the book’s perspective. A new introduction to gratuitous transfers in Chapter 1. More detailed analysis of defined value clauses in Chapter 3. A new section on taxation of nonprofit organizations in Chapter 14. New cases throughout the book. Updated values and computations. Professors and students will benefit from: Organization – the book is organized by the three different transfer taxes and by IRC section. Flexibility – the text, cases, and problems allow a focus on statutory construction, planning, or policy. Focus on basics – the book is adaptable to a two- or three-credit transfer tax course, to supplement an estate planning course, or for an LLM course. Detailed textual explanations with references to current cases and administrative rulings—but they also provide historical context and development. Problems that focus on discrete issues to build a solid foundation. Edited cases that focus on fundamentals.