[Dagnabitt]

The individual exemption for the estate tax is something like 5 million dollars. Unless that changes, I don’t see what this article is about.

[par4]

Under current law, when you inherit an asset your basis in the asset is the higher of the fair market value at the time of death or the decedent's original basis. Almost always, the fair market value is higher.

Under the Obama proposal, when you inherit an asset your basis will simply be the decedent's original basis.

This is not the inheritance tax, this is a capital gains increase. Using the example cited (and my parents left me a house so this would apply) the capital gain realized upon the sale of an inherited asset is based on the value when it was initially acquired, not when it was transferred at death. So if the market value when the estate was settled is 100K and sold for that amount, but it was purchased for 40K the estate will pay a capital gain on the 60K.

[bgill]

Every dime should be exempt.