Should we have a death tax?
Here's why inheritance tax is good for society, but tricky to get right. Episode 41 of the Morality of Everyday Things is out now (and Part 2 of our series on inheritance tax.)
Episode 41 is now live. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Google Podcasts, Acast and more.
Also a big thank you to the 91 people who have rated us on Spotify (average 4.9 stars!) - we really appreciate it :)
Should we tax the dead?
The second in a two-parter where we discuss taxes and specifically inheritance tax. The series explores why taxes make sense at all, and then apply this thinking to inheritance tax - both whether it meets the ideological/moral aims we have for taxes more generally, and indeed whether they seem to actually effectively meet their intended aims!
In this episode, we get into the specifics of inheritance tax - context, policy, ideology. We discuss the intended moral impact of inheritance taxes - avoiding the "paris hilton" effect, a country with too many indolent heirs and landed aristocracy - and also the policy implications, which have some surpising differences vs the ideology. Who's actually paying inheritance tax? Is the law too complicated? Do the rich, with their offshore accounts and tax advisors, even pay it?
Support the show:
If you’re a fan of the show, please consider signing up to our Patreon. A small subscription goes a long way towards supporting the show - and it makes us feel all warm inside. Alternatively, leave us a review! We read every one and they’re a great way to help others find the show!
Know anyone who likes to think about or debate the kind of topics we cover? Spread the word - and you’ll have our gratitude.
Stasher / Treepoints:
Stasher.com - Need short term storage? Use Stasher for affordable and convenient luggage storage around the world on your travels.
And Treepoints - We help small businesses be more sustainable. Everything from estimating your carbon footprint to helping you plant trees.
Until next time!
Jake & Ant