Pennsylvania's Inheritance Tax ... it's illogical, unconstitutional and should be abolished

Pittsburgh Tribune Review ^ | March 24, 2002 | C.J. Durkin

[Dukie]

With the calendar page soon turning to April, we once more visit the days when we pause and reflect, mostly in head shaking disbelief, at the amount of our labor is which is appropriated by way of income taxes. While the sage once remarked on the certainty of death and taxes, he may not have appreciated the linkage of these phenomenon in the form of Pennsylvania

[Dukie]

Further illustration of the repugnance of "death taxes"

[Dukie]

Thank you for your suggestion and enouragement in this bb.

[Dukie]

Good morning, Joanie.

Bump for a fellow keystone state constitutionalist.

[Dukie]

Something of local significance for your consideration.

[Dukie]

A local matter of questionable constitutionality for your consideration.

[Dales]

You will get no argument from me. My two least favorite types of taxes are (in order) property taxes (which destroy the concept of private property and turns "owners" into "renters from the government") and inheritance taxes.

[Dukie]

Can't forget you good keystone staters in this matter of questionable constitutionality.

[Portnoy]

Anyone who expects to pay high Inheritance Taxes should check into their local charities, non-profits or community foundations.

Many larger non-profits have excellent planned giving programs that will help support them and also give you a very substantial tax break off of the "Death Taxes".

In fact, if done properly, you may not have to pay hardly any taxes at all. Your favorite Non-profit organization AND you benefit.

[Dales]

I just noticed the author's name. Bump!

[Dukie]

Thanks for your comment, Dales. A recent situation in my life focuses my attention on this business. Are you going the badray's think tank this evening ?

[Still Thinking]

I just don't understand it. They pass a law that financially punishes people for dying and the people keep dying anyway! Go figure.

[Dukie]

A bump for several legal scholars.

[MinuteGal]

The author of this well-written piece sadly doesn't know the difference between "looser" and "loser". He must be a freeper.

:-)

Leni

[Dukie]

I like your thinking. At one point this state had on its license plates the sloagan:"You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania". As it turns out, it's the kind of friend whose parting act is to skim a cut for himself.

[Dukie]

Ya know what can happen between editors, typesetters, etc.

[Dales]

What are friends for? (Where's my cut?)

[Russ]

It doesn't surprise me that the statute ignores Article 8, section 1 of the Pennsylvania constitution. The legislature and courts also ignore Article 1, Section 21 which states: "The right of the citizen to bear arms in the defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned"

It seems like the Pa. constitution is just another worthless piece of paper.

[Principled]

more income tax insanity.

[Dukie]

Not to complain, Portnoy, and certainly your observations are correct, however the issues raised here pertain to the matters of constitutionality.

[Dialup Llama]

PA chased away wage earners long ago. However they have the second largest retirement population behing FLA. They might end up chasing away their greatest remaining financial resource... dying people.