Visit Kentucky's First District
|
Visit Washington, D.C.
Biography
Official Photograph
District Information
Visiting the District
Agriculture
Defense
Economy
Education Reform
Energy
Family Values
Health Care
Homeland Security
Law Enforcement
Prescription Drugs
Social Security
Second Amendment
Telecommunications
Transportation
Veteran's Affairs
Help With A Federal Agency
Federal Job Postings
Help with Federal Grants
Internships
Obtaining a Federal Document
Presidential Greetings
Federal Government Links
Flag Requests
Visiting Washington, D.C.
Student Resources
Service Academy Nominations
Congressional Art Contest
The Congressional Youth Leadership Council
you are here:
Home
/
News
/
House Approves Measure to Provide Permanent Death Tax Relief
News
News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative
House Approves Measure to Provide Permanent Death Tax Relief
June 22, 2006
WASHINGTON, June 22 - The House of Representatives today approved H.R. 5638, the Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act of 2006, which will provide permanent estate tax and gift tax relief for farmers and small business owners in the First District. U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield supported the bill, which passed by a vote of 269 to 156.
The estate tax, also known as the death tax, is a tax on the value of a deceased individuals assets before they are passed to their heirs. Many economists have noted that the death tax penalizes savings and makes it more difficult for farmers and small business owners to pass on their lifes work to their families.
"It is simply unconscionable that the federal government levies a tax upon the passing of a loved one a tax on money that has already been taxed," Whitfield said. "The legislation we passed today will provide permanent relief from this inherently unjust tax, allowing Americans who have worked hard their whole lives to pass down the fruits of their labor," continued Whitfield.
The Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act reunifies the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes and increases the estate and gift tax exemption to $5 million per person. In addition, married couples can carry over any unused part of their spouses $5 million exemption. For estates between $5 million and $25 million, the rate of tax will be the same as the capital gains tax rate. On estates valued at more than $25 million, the top marginal rate of tax will be double the capital gains tax rate.
Back to headlines