By Bob Katzen

Senate 5-34, rejected an amendment that would abolish the tax that the estates of people who die are required to pay following their death, before the money is distributed to any beneficiary. Current law only exempts the first $2 million and then imposes the tax on the remainder based on a graduated rate schedule ranging from 7.2% for estates just over $2 million to 16% for estates over $10 million.

Most Republicans are against this tax and coined the name “death tax” to imply that the government taxes you even after you die. Most Democrats support the tax and call it an “estate tax” to imply that this tax is only paid by the wealthy.

Amendment supporters said this regressive tax is unfair and noted that Massachusetts is losing many residents who move to other states where this tax does not exist. They noted it is not fair to tax this money when a person dies because the person already paid taxes on it when he or she was alive.

Amendment opponents said the state cannot afford the loss in revenue which would be hundreds of millions of dollars. They noted that recently the Legislature approved and the governor signed into law a bill that increased from $1 million to $2 million the amount of money that is tax exempt from this tax.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment abolishing the tax. A “No” vote is against abolishing it.)

Sen. Patricia Jehlen No