The parents build a business and leave it to their children, who then have to sell off a significant portion, fatally damaging the business, in order to pay taxes. Sure, that’s fair.
My husband’s family had to sell the family farm to pay taxes (not in arrears). Each sibling was promised 15 bucolic acres in upper Bucks County, PA on which to build a house. Instead they each got a few thousand measly dollars.
“The parents build a business and leave it to their children, who then have to sell off a significant portion, fatally damaging the business, in order to pay taxes. Sure, that’s fair.”
We have been seeing that disaster in friends and those we know at an increasing rate due to the ages of our friends.
The top tier of wealth routinely shields themselves entirely from inheritance taxes by setting up "non profit", "charitable" foundations, which can shield their wealth for generations.
If you REALLY want to make the ultra-wealthy pay taxes, eliminate the tax-free foundations, or at least make ALL their investment income taxed at the full corporate rate.