Here in Canada, we use the euphenism "probate tax", but it's still the
same ugly tax.
How can government profit from it's citizen's demise? Isn't that just an
incentive for government to kill us off. Obviously it wouldn't be
advantageous for government to kill off a young worker who is contributing
more income tax that s/he could in estates taxes, but for someone older
who is using up free medical benefits, no longer paying income tax, and
sitting on a large estate, why should government care about these people?
And, more relevant to extropy, why would they care about longevity? It
seems to me that it would be to the government's advantage to cover-up
and dissuade people from conducting longevity research.
I wonder if you get an estate tax refund after you are reanimated from
cryonic suspension ;)
geoff smith.