Don't Bury the Estate Tax

The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 phased out the estate tax by 2010, but it is scheduled to be restored, along with the rest of the 2001 tax changes, in 2011. This commentary argues that the federal estate tax is the most progressive tax in the federal system, an important backstop to the income tax, and protects an important source of revenue for the states. It recommends that the tax be reformed rather than abolished.