I think the analysis is wrong, but I can’t prove it.
When there is a tax on an amount “over a limit”, it generally applies to the amount over the limit.
It would be rare for a tax to be applied such that a person who inherited 3.5 million would actually end up with MORE money than a person who inherited 3.6 million.
Of course, the estate tax is mostly another jobs program for lawyers.
The confusion stems from applying and trying to compare two different classes of taxes to the same estate, which is what this bill is going to eliminate. That's just one of the reasons (not the moral one) why estate taxes and the probate process should be eliminated completely, and why good estate / trust lawyers are worth their hefty fees.
Of course, the estate tax is mostly another jobs program for lawyers.
That, in addition to ability of the state to intrude into people's lives and financial behavior, about sums it up.