2010 & the Estate Tax: An Eerie Year?
The Senate dropped a ball they've carried for 8 years, and George W. Bush's ill-advised 2001 tax law, which allowed the estate tax to vanish in 2010, has officially kicked in. In this AFP article, UFE's Lee Farris comments on the unfortunate situation we're in, and urges lawmakers to act quickly to reinstate the tax. January 5, 2010
UFE's Estate Tax Message on NYC Radio
Today, Lee Farris hopped on the mic to talk about the fate of the estate tax on WBAI's Talk Back! with Hugh Hamilton in New York City. Listen to the interview here. January 4, 2010
Waging Class Warfare - The Rich Win Again
PRESS RELEASE: "On New Year's Day, the estate tax, which has been part of the US tax
system for nearly 100 years, will disappear due to the failure of the
Senate to pass an extension in December. Now, Congressional leaders are
pledging to act in early 2010 to reinstate the federal estate tax,
making it retroactive to January 1, 2010, an action supported by United
for a Fair Economy (UFE)." January 1, 2010
Recycling Opportunity: The Case for a Strong Estate Tax
The estate tax battle simmers on, and with expiration coming in a few short days, Congress will have to act quickly to reinstate it retroactive to Jan. 1st. UFE's Brian Miller writes about why we can't let the estate tax fade away in 2010. December 29, 2009
UFE on Fox News to Support the Estate Tax
UFE's Lee Farris appeared on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier yesterday to state the case for a strong estate tax. December 23, 2009
Estate tax gap could result in lawsuits
Some say that Congress' intention to retroactively reinstate the federal estate tax will spark anger and legal action by some wealthy heirs. UFE's Lee Farris with Americans for a Fair Estate Tax (AFET) call the Senate's inaction "incomprehensible," pointing out that many more estates will be affected by their failure to pass an extension of the estate tax. December 21, 2009
SEIU Speaks Out In Favor of the Estate Tax
Anna Burger, Secretary/Treasurer of SEIU, brought a voice of the labor movement to the debate over the federal estate tax. She spoke alongside several prominent proponents of the estate tax, including Bill Gates, Sr., John C. Bogle, and Richard Rockefeller on UFE's Estate Tax Teleconference. December 21, 2009
UFE Estate Tax Post-Teleconference Report
Our December 15th Estate Tax Teleconference was a successful event, garnering immediate and continuing media coverage as Congress debates the future of the federal estate tax - see more inside. You may also download a recording of the teleconference here. December 18, 2009
Strengthening the Estate Tax to Strengthen the Country (Huffington Post)
Congress still has time to prevent the 2010 expiration of the estate tax. Bill Gates, Sr. explains the role government has played in his good fortune, and the role of the estate tax in providing future opportunities for all Americans. December 18, 2009
Do the Rich Owe America for Their Fortunes? (WSJ blog)
UFE Estate Tax Teleconference speakers John C. Bogle and Bill Gates, Sr. are cited in this Wall Street Journal blog on why the wealthy owe more to America for their fortunes. December 17, 2009
Why Shouldn't Paris Hilton Pay Her Fair Share? (UFE Op-ed)
As Congress debates retroactive renewal of the estate tax early in the new year, UFE's Brian Miller writes on the history and values behind the estate tax. He argues that, "If Congress and the President are serious about building a strong middle class, they should act immediately to strengthen the estate tax." December 17, 2009
Estate Tax Expiration Sets Up Battle on Retroactive Restoration (Bloomberg)
There's a good chance the estate tax will expire January 1st, but Congress will seek to renew it retroactively. They'll have to act quickly and as early in the year as possible, because the longer they take, the more of a challenge it may turn out to be. December 17, 2009
Bill Gates, Sr. and UFE in London's Wealth Bulletin
UFE's message to strengthen the tax on inherited wealth as a means to reduce economic inequality is reaching into international discourse. Read more in this article in London's Wealth Bulletin. December 16, 2009
Estate Tax on the Radio
Check out our recent radio news reports on the estate tax, featuring commentary from UFE
staffers Mike Lapham and Lee Farris, and our partners, including Bill
Gates, Sr., Vanguard founder John C. Bogle, and SEIU
Secretary/Treasurer Anna Burger. These reports have been widely broadcasted in key battleground states and surrounding regions. December 16, 2009
Estate Tax May Expire as Congressional Impasse Clouds Extension (Bloomberg)
Expiration looms as Congress struggles to reach agreement on estate tax reform before year-end. The voices of UFE and its wealthy partners continue to enter the debate in favor of preserving a strong estate tax. December 16, 2009
UFE Op-ed: Estate tax preserves opportunity in U.S.
"There’s a reason many wealthy people, like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, Sr., support the estate tax: It’s because they realize there can be no private wealth without public resources." Lee Farris explains more in this op-ed distributed by Minuteman Media. December 16, 2009
Wealthy Individuals Ask Congress to Extend Estate Tax to Promote Philanthropy
Wealthy speakers in UFE's Estate Tax Teleconference also highlighted the positive impact the estate tax has on charitable giving. Suzanne Perry of The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports more in this article. December 15, 2009
Wealthy Individuals Call on Congress to Strengthen Estate Tax Before Holiday Recess
PRESS RELEASE: On the heels of a recent House vote to extend the current estate tax, UFE - with several wealthy individuals - are calling on the Senate to act before the holiday recess to strengthen the estate tax. December 15, 2009
Senate’s Baucus Seeks Temporary Extension of Estate Tax in 2010
The message of UFE's Dec. 15 Estate Tax Press Teleconference makes its way into Bloomberg News, as the Senate debates how to proceed with reform of the estate tax law before year-end. December 15, 2009
Wealthy want estate tax to extend (Marketplace Podcast)
In the lead up to UFE's Dec. 15 Estate Tax Press Teleconference, Lee Farris spoke a few words on the need for a strong estate tax on Marketplace with Brett Neely. December 15, 2009
UFE Estate Tax Teleconference with Gates, Bogle, Rockefeller
As Congress prepares for the holiday recess, a group of wealthy
individuals together with a national labor union, organized by United for a
Fair Economy, are calling on the Senate to act before the break to strengthen
the Federal Estate Tax. December 11, 2009
Wealth and Healthcare
Our friends at Citizen Action of New York write that the best solution to funding healthcare is fair and progressive taxes - including a strong estate tax - on those who can most afford to pay them. December 9, 2009
Stronger Estate Tax Urged by UFE in Response to House Vote
The US House of Representatives voted on December 3rd to extend the estate tax at 2009 levels. But, we need a stronger estate tax now more than ever. UFE urges the Senate not to give more tax breaks to the wealthy, and to consider a one-year extension of 2009 law so a more meaningful debate can take place in the coming year. December 4, 2009
War and the Estate Tax
"President Obama's Afghanistan troop surge decision caused considerable rancor among liberal House Democrats Tuesday at the same time they are being asked to vote this week on a measure cutting taxes for millionaires. [...] December 3, 2009
Helicopter flight advocates give estate tax update to members
Helicopter Association International provides an estate tax legislative updates to their members. They cite UFE's support of a robust estate tax for long overdue investments in domestic priorities. December 2, 2009
In Favor of a Strong Estate Tax
UFE board member Bill Creighton goes toe-to-toe with an estate tax opponent in the BusinessWeek Debate Room. Asked if we should "snuff out the estate tax," Creighton says that further reducing the tax will "leave the struggling middle class even worse off" than they are now. November 16, 2009
Lobbying for the Estate Tax
As the deadline for extending the one-year gap for the estate tax approaches, lobbying on both sides is picking up. UFE supports Rep. Jim McDermott's Sensible Estate Tax Act - Lee Farris, UFE's Senior Organizer on the Estate Tax, explains why. November 2, 2009
Estate Tax Update
UFE's Senior Organizer on Estate Tax Policy, Lee Farris, weighs in on the Congressional debate on the estate tax, noting that with a more than trillion dollar federal deficit, "the estate tax will look like a good place to raise revenue." October 27, 2009
United for a Fair Economy Remembers Senator Kennedy
United for a Fair Economy (UFE) joins the nation in mourning the loss of Senator Ted Kennedy. Although he was born into a wealthy family, Senator Kennedy fought for economic justice and greater opportunities for lower-income and working families... August 28, 2009
Keep The Nation's Estate Tax
"An estate tax is an appropriate and relatively painless way to raise money to support government while discouraging the accumulation of dynastic wealth by people who did nothing to earn it." - editorial in the Concord Monitor
June 8, 2009
The 'Death Tax' Scam
"On a bright April day in Barack Obama's America, where equality is on the rise and greed is on the run, a Democratic senator from an impoverished Southern state took a brave stand — on behalf of the country's richest families..."
May 27, 2009
Rep. McDermott Presents Sensible Estate Tax Act on PBS
"The fact is it takes reinvestment to keep America strong and that's what this legislation will enable us to do..." - Rep. Jim McDermott
May 21, 2009
Buffett and Gates, Jr. on the Estate Tax
Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffet and Microsoft and Gates Foundation Chairman Bill Gates talk about the economy, estate taxes, charitable deductions, fast food, philanthropy and other topics in an entertaining interview with Fox Business News’ Liz Claman.
May 5, 2009
Estate Tax Action Alert - 4/23/09
This is an important time to take action to preserve the estate tax. Please call your Senators and Representative to ask them not to include any cut of the estate tax in the budget, and say that you support HR2023, which has a $2 million/spouse exemption. Click
here for the full alert.
April 23, 2009
Analysis: Obama Tax Proposals Could be More Progressive
Ed Cutlip writes about our Tax Day 2009 report on Media Mouse.
April 20, 2009
Don't Eat the Rich; Just Tax Them
Mike Ivey writes: "With so many taxpayers now filing electronically -- the IRS estimates nearly 60 percent this year -- Tax Day has lost some of its urgency... But Tax Day still presents a great chance for the middle class to realize how badly the system is skewed against them."
April 15, 2009
Democrats for Rich Heirs?
Michael Kinsley asks why ten Democrats in the Senate have joined Republicans in calling for a $10 million exemption and 35% rate on the estate tax in his latest op-ed in The Washington Post.
April 10, 2009
Safe, Fair and Sustainable: Do Obama’s Tax Proposals Measure Up?
Our new Tax Day report analyzes tax proposals in Obama's budget and concludes they could be better. April 9, 2009
Estate Tax Training & Lobby Day Background
With your help over the past decade, we've succeeded in preventing
repeal of the estate tax. In 2009 the battle is over reform.
February 27, 2009
Obama is right to take on the very rich
Obama is right to take on the very rich. They're paying far less of their incomes in taxes than average Americans.
February 26, 2009
Evaluating Elected Officials on Taxes
See our Action Tools to help you evaluate tax proposals elected officials are making at the state and federal levels.
February 13, 2009
Obama Plans to Keep Estate Tax
President-elect Barack Obama and congressional leaders plan to move
soon to block the estate tax from disappearing in 2010, suggesting the
levy might outlive the "Death Tax Repeal" movement that has tried
mightily to kill it.
January 13, 2009
Why the Death-Tax Movement Died
The Wall Street Journal carries news that President-elect Barack Obama
plans to prevent the estate tax from expiring in 2010. This was
somewhat expected, since it was a mainstay of his campaign. And anyone
who thought the wealthy could avoid higher taxes with a Democratic
president and Congress because of the economic crisis is clearly
deluded. The politics of wealth have simply changed too much.
January 13, 2009
Why Wait to Repeal Tax Cuts for the Rich?
ON the campaign trail, Barack Obama said he wanted to eliminate the Bush tax cuts for top earners upon taking office in January. Now he seems to favor letting those cuts expire as scheduled, at the end of 2010.
December 21, 2008
We Have Plenty Of Money. The Rich Are Killing Us.
We have plenty of money to fund what needs to be done--but our
political leaders, on both sides of the aisle, seem unwilling to go
where the money is: the rich. I know where Republicans stand on this
issue. But, where in the hell is the Democratic Party? Working Life.
November 12, 2008
How To Speak Republican
The Republican party hasn't just been winning presidential elections
for most the past four decades, it's been winning the political
conversation. From lavishly funded thinktanks like the Heritage Foundation
to rightwing yakkers filling the airwaves, the Republicans have
dominated the political conversation. The Republican convention this
week will feature many of the key phrases that highlight the shift in
America's politics. The Guardian.
September 3, 2008
McCain’s Unconvincing Claim That Obama Favors Tax Hikes
UFE's Senior Organizer on Estate Tax Policy, Lee Farris wrote a letter to The Hill that addresses where both John McCain and Barack Obama stand on the Estate Tax. The piece also puts forth an alternative to the candidates' proposals. The Hill.
August 12, 2008
There’s a Big Difference in Candidates' Tax Platforms (Op-ed)
UFE member Michael Beer wrote an article that focuses on the differences between the tax policies of the two main presidential candidates. Citizen-Times, Asheville, NC.
August 6, 2008
Nation’s Most Progressive Tax Gets a Boost
From UFE's March 2008 E-News
March 31, 2008
2008 Estate Tax Lobby Day Success
There was electric excitement in Washington, DC, during the UFE
co-sponsored Estate Tax Lobby Day, where participants inspired each
other and advocated for their belief in a strong estate tax. March 30, 2008
Estate Tax Supporters Convene in DC to Lobby Congress
As efforts to preserve the federal estate tax continue in 2008, estate
tax supporters from across the country will come together for an estate
tax briefing to be held during the Take Back America conference,
followed by a day of Capitol Hill visits to lobby Congressional
representatives and senators from their home districts.
March 11, 2008
Progressive Taxation Needs Your Voice
With the president and some presidential candidates saying they want to
make the Bush tax cuts permanent -- even as we face a recession --
progressive taxation desperately needs your voice. Please consider
helping the fight to preserve the estate tax by joining us in
Washington, DC, March 18-19, to lobby your Senators and Representatives
in Congress.
February 29, 2008
Estate Tax Lobby Day
The next phase of the fight to preserve the estate tax needs your voice.
Please join us in Washington DC, March 18-19, to learn and lobby.
February 22, 2008
The Morality of the Estate Tax
Whoopi Goldberg has made the Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial page - as an anti-tax hero.
She
recently used her position as co-host of ABC's talk show The View to
rail against the estate tax - a tax that currently affects less than
0.3% of the estates in the U.S.
She's upset, and the Journal is
thrilled to amplify her voice, about the ethics of making super-wealthy
people pay an estate tax even though they've already paid other taxes.
December 17, 2007
Where They Stand on the Estate Tax
A snapshot of the presidential candidates' positions on taxes, including the estate tax. Original print date December 2, 2007.
December 2, 2007
Estate Tax Plans: Clinton
UFE's Lee Farris comments that Clinton's plans for the estate tax will worsen the deficit.
McClatchy News by Matt Stearns
November 27, 2007
Estate Tax Hearings Begin Crucial Estate Tax Battles in 2008
By Lee Farris, Senior Organizer for Estate Tax Policy at UFE.
Senator Baucus (D-MT) held the first of two estate tax hearings on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, fulfilling a promise made to Senator Kyl (R-AZ) that hearings would be held in the fall of 2007.
November 14, 2007
Estate Tax Action Alert - 11/13/07
This Action Alert went out to estate tax supporters asking them for calls, letters and testimony at the time of an important Senate hearing. UFE is also looking for farmers who support the estate tax.
November 13, 2007
Senate Hearing Testimony on the Estate Tax
As the Senate Finance Committee considers changes to the estate tax,
United for a Fair Economy requests that two key principles be
followed. Any changes to the estate tax should be revenue neutral,
compared with estate tax law starting in 2011-2020. Using any other
approach would mean increasing taxes - or deficits -- for taxpayers who
are not millionaires. A second important principle would be to
re-introduce progressivity in the estate tax rate.
November 13, 2007
UFE Takes the Estate Tax Fight to CNBC
Mike Lapham, director of Responsible Wealth, talks up the value of the estate tax on CNBC's Power Lunch.
November 13, 2007
Spending Millions to Save Billions
Eighteen super-rich families have spent millions over the years to kill the estate tax. Doing so would net them billions of dollars.
October 2, 2007
President and Congress at Odds Over Estate Tax
President Bush's FY 2008 budget still reflects full estate tax repeal, but Congress is fighting him.
Read the report.
October 2, 2007
Fewer Rich Americans Pay Estate Tax
When the estate tax exemption rose from $1.5 million to $2 million in 2006, fewer rich Americans had to pay the estate tax. In 2009, even fewer rich Americans will pay as the exemption rises to $3.5 million per individual, or $7 million per couple.
Read the report.
October 2, 2007
Wealth and Our Commonwealth
Wealth and Our Commonwealth is the quintessential “Man
Bites Dog” story of over 1,000 high-net-worth individuals who
rose up to protest the repeal of the estate tax. The narrative weaves history and solid economic data with personal stories to create a sound case for estate tax reform--not repeal.
October 2, 2007
Sen. Salazar Should Drop Farm Exemption from Estate Tax
August 26, 2007
Estate Tax May Be Here to Stay
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0408biz-Wiles0408.html
April 8, 2007
Gallo's Death Could Fill U.S. Coffers
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/news-desk/2007/3/8/gallos-death-could-fill-us-coffers.html
March 8, 2007
The Estate Tax: A Recycling Program in Disguise
http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2007/0107collins.html
January 1, 2007
Prominent Mainers ad
A group of prominent Mainers signed an ad calling for preservation of the estate tax.
June 6, 2006
Estate Tax Ads
A Gallery of UFE's Media Ads
August 1, 2005
Leave No Heiress Behind
A grateful heiress expresses her thanks for efforts to defeat the estate tax in this TV ad that ran in select markets in August, 2005.
August 1, 2005
Washington State thank-you ad
An ad thanking senators for voting to preserve the estate tax ran in several Washington state papers.
July 24, 2005
Estate Tax Radio Ad
Ad ran May 25, 2005, in selected markets.
A series of radio ads featuring characters named Marge and Frank ran in select markets, appearing on The Al Franken Show, among others, in May, 2005.
Listen to radio ads that ran in 5 states
(MT, OR, ND, SD, and ME).
See also the related press release.
May 25, 2005
UFE Launches Campaign to Prevent New Tax Breaks for Billionaires
UFE unveiled a new radio ad today calling on
targeted Senators to preserve the estate tax, and in turn, $1 trillion
in revenue over the next two decades, when the vote comes up this
summer.
May 19, 2005
