Since this has turned into a "tax" discussion .... anyone remember "Luxury Tax"?
Luxury tax. (Federal Taxation)
Ron Paul, Introducing the Tax Free Tips Act | Ron Paul Library
Lets ask a hypothetical question here. What about the single and/or married Mom, working as a waitress that is forced to pay taxes on her "tips"? The money that Joe Blow leaves on the table for her ... was earned by him, he paid taxes on it, now the poor struggling waitress is paying tax on it AGAIN? (Been there done that. I was a waitress for several years, before finally becoming a manager at a restaurant.) What about the mininimum wage pizza delivery guy, the paper boy, anyone that receives a "tip" according to the federal government is suppose to include that money as "income". Take from the poor, and allow the rich to get richer? hmmmmmn
On the other hand .... I say let's make Prostitution legal nationwide .... and start charging THEM taxes! They are providing a "service", right? They should be taxed too! Then we have the dope dealer - should we start taxing them? Hell yeah!!!! Tax the shit out of them!!!
So ..... should taxes be paid on money "after someone dies"? The simple answer is yes. When Mom and/or Dad were alive they paid taxes on that money, (if it was sitting in a savings account) - they paid taxes on it, unless they kept it in a coffee can buried in the back yard. Or .....
IRAs Offer Tax Advantaged Investing for Retirement
Mom and Dad may have been smarter than you give them credit for .... but somebody ... somewhere along the line is going to pay taxes on this money. And Junior ... since you have inherited it ... it's you! Since junior is getting this money after they are DEAD ... why not? The one that will benefit from the
use of the money (-Junior or Junior'ette) - pay the taxes.
As someone else in this thread mentioned ... either pay the tax on it or go to jail. Right or wrong .... it is the law. It is your choice.