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It's also an extension of basic property rights. An owner of property may will it to whomever he pleases on the event of his passing. It's no different from sim

It's also an extension of basic property rights. An owner of property may will it to whomever he pleases on the event of his passing. It's no different from simply gifting property while alive.

wolfram74 6y ago
You imply an interesting question: Do the dead have all the same rights as the living? I'm leaning towards no. So I think it's a little different from gifting something while alive, for starters, a gift while alive is typically at personal cost unless you no longer have any use for the item. Once dead you have no use for any items, as you're definitionally out of the "able to use things" population.
- HeckFeck 6y ago
  Personally, most gifts I've given or received have been items which I didn't need and not at any great cost. I still gave them to a person of my choosing. So when dead and in need of nothing, one's wishes to give to a particular person, charity, or even hypothetically anyone should be respected. If John owns an item, he can say what happens it. So if he says to an notarised person 'when I die X becomes property of my son James' then that's simply respecting his wishes over his property. Is it much different if John choose to give something away moments from death, or if he asks someone else to arrange the giving on his behalf after death? We respect the wishes of the dead because it's part of the continuance of life and civilisation (which is itself fundamentally the store and passing down of value, I.e. inheritance). The same reason we'd honour someone who died for freedom, or honour the funeral wishes of a family member. Their wishes are worth much to everyone who knew them. The same should apply to personal property. I think I'm stabbing in the right direction. A better answer might come from a better read or more philosophical mind than mine.
CRConrad 6y ago
Most discussions of inheritance tax (perhaps particularly discussions where US Americans are involved?) seem to start from this perspective, "the deceased person is being taxed". I find that a little weird. All these weird objections go away like a puff of smoke if you see inheritance tax the other way around: It's a tax on the recipient of the inheritance. Why shouldn't inheritance (or gift!) income be taxed, when any other income can be?
- Gibbon1 6y ago
  Especially when you consider inheriting money is the ultimate in unearned income.

It's also an extension of basic property rights. An owner of property may will it to whomever he pleases on the event of his passing. It's no different from simply gifting property while alive.

wolfram74 6y ago

You imply an interesting question: Do the dead have all the same rights as the living? I'm leaning towards no. So I think it's a little different from gifting something while alive, for starters, a gift while alive is typically at personal cost unless you no longer have any use for the item. Once dead you have no use for any items, as you're definitionally out of the "able to use things" population.

HeckFeck 6y ago
Personally, most gifts I've given or received have been items which I didn't need and not at any great cost. I still gave them to a person of my choosing. So when dead and in need of nothing, one's wishes to give to a particular person, charity, or even hypothetically anyone should be respected. If John owns an item, he can say what happens it. So if he says to an notarised person 'when I die X becomes property of my son James' then that's simply respecting his wishes over his property. Is it much different if John choose to give something away moments from death, or if he asks someone else to arrange the giving on his behalf after death? We respect the wishes of the dead because it's part of the continuance of life and civilisation (which is itself fundamentally the store and passing down of value, I.e. inheritance). The same reason we'd honour someone who died for freedom, or honour the funeral wishes of a family member. Their wishes are worth much to everyone who knew them. The same should apply to personal property. I think I'm stabbing in the right direction. A better answer might come from a better read or more philosophical mind than mine.

CRConrad 6y ago

Most discussions of inheritance tax (perhaps particularly discussions where US Americans are involved?) seem to start from this perspective, "the deceased person is being taxed". I find that a little weird. All these weird objections go away like a puff of smoke if you see inheritance tax the other way around: It's a tax on the recipient of the inheritance. Why shouldn't inheritance (or gift!) income be taxed, when any other income can be?

Gibbon1 6y ago
Especially when you consider inheriting money is the ultimate in unearned income.