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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsEconomyStarted 10yrs agoActive 2yrs ago

Should the current estate tax rate be decreased?

The estate tax is a tax that is levied on all property that is declared in a deceased person’s will. The tax is also known as the “inheritance tax” or “death tax.” In 2016, the estate tax rate is 40% and only applies to estates with a value greater than $5.45 million. In 2015 5,300 estates in the U.S. were subject to the tax and paid $18.4 billion in taxes. Proponents of the tax, including Hillary Clinton, argue that more estates should be subject to the tax and the threshold should be lowered from $5.45 million to $3.5 million. Opponents of the tax, including Donald Trump, argue that people who have paid income taxes their entire life should not be subject to another tax when they die.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 253k America voters.

57%
Yes
43%
No
49%
Yes
36%
No
7%
Yes, and we should eliminate it
5%
No, I am satisfied with the current rate
3%
No, and increase it at a progressive rate

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 253k America voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 253k America voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @8NK6PJ6 from Kansas  answered…6yrs6Y

Not sufficiently well-informed to make a judgement.

 @9RV4TYK from Idaho  answered…2yrs2Y

Inheritance of anything other than real estate should be banned in order to limit the cycles of generational wealth and poverty. When they die, a person's assets should be reclaimed by the government and placed into the Universal Basic Income fund.

 @9VJZZCG from Maryland  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, and we should eliminate it because it hurts farmers and their families who don’t have the money to pay taxes on such large properties once the owner dies.

 @8XLR4JX  from North Carolina  answered…3yrs3Y

No, it should mirror a progressive tax equivalent to both the deceased and the inheritant’s respective incomes.

 @9RH3CPQ from Georgia  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, but only for people who live in the house they own. People who own multiple residences should have increased taxes.

 @9RR7JNS from Virginia  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, the tax system is too convoluted and a flat wealth tax should be considered as opposed to several different tax types

 @98YQQNB from Kentucky  answered…3yrs3Y

Make all land public

 @8ZMCHXD from Washington  answered…4yrs4Y

it should progressively increase as the value of the estate grows higher. (small estate - no tax, medium - 10 to 20 percent - large, up to 45 percent

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2yrs2Y

Elizabeth Warren Walks Back Murder Comments

Congressional Democrats broadly denounced the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Friday morning, after Republicans started accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of excusing violence.“No one's condoning this,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). “Violence never is the right answer for anything. And it was a horrible murder, a tragic loss for his family.” Warren this week condemned the shooting, but added that people “can be pushed only so far.”"We'll say it over and over," Warren said on MSNBC’S “The ReidOut.” " Violence is never the answer. This guy [Luigi Mangione] gets a trial who's allegedly killed the CEO of UnitedHealth, but you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands."In a statement to POLITICO, Warren said, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Top Republicans denounced Warren's comments and the walked-back rhetoric, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) calling it “inappropriate and dangerous.”Some House Democrats asked about the incident on Thursday pivoted the conversation to discuss policy options on health care or gun safety.“I don't really know that this is really a space that Congress normally weighs in on,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). “But at the end of the day, I think it’s an opportunity, because now people are talking about health care and to talk about the fact that this industry has honestly not been as helpful as it could be.”“Violence is never the answer,” said Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.). “We know that there are people suffering, there’s great challenges in healthcare. There's great challenges, and people have, in fact, been wronged, but a process of governance is the way to address that, not violence.”And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) who denounced the murder, said the killer should be prosecuted and that “I do know that allegedly a ghost gun was used, and we should also ban ghost guns. There's no reason for them beyond the streets.”

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Based on 253k responses to this question.

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iSideWith. (2026). “Should the current estate tax rate be decreased?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://www.isidewith.com/polls/2521240098

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