FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Saul Anuzis, President of the 60 Plus Association, praised the recently enacted Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) for permanently increasing the exemption to the estate tax to $15 million, effective January 1, 2026.
The exemption was $13.61 million in 2024 and $13.99 million in 2025.
Before the BBB was passed, the sunset provision in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would have automatically reduced the exemption in 2026 to $5 million.
“Now, the death tax will adversely affect only a relatively few families. T his is a significant accomplishment for the 60 Plus Association, which has been the leading opponent of this tax since 1992. Jim Martin, the founder and chairman of 60 Plus, deserves great credit of his tireless efforts to educate the public and inform Congress about the detrimental effects of the death tax,” Anuzis said.
“An estate is what is left over after a lifetime of paying income taxes, payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, capital gains taxes, and many other federal, state, and local taxes. For the government to tax at death what remains of a person’s estate is fundamentally wrong,” he said. “It is greedy government’s final grab.”
Anuzis noted that Investor’s Business Daily has editorialized that “People should not be punished because they work hard, become successful, and want to pass on the fruits of their labor…to their children.”
Furthermore, the death tax imposes a large compliance burden on the U.S. economy. The compliance costs are roughly equal to the revenue raised, making it one of the nation’s most inefficient revenue sources.
Anuzis pledged to continue to guard against the possible return of the estate tax.
“I am proud of what 60 Plus has accomplished. But in politics and government, there are no final victories. A future Congress and president could reinstate the death tax,” he said. “And the danger is much closer than 2026 or 2028. It could occur in 2025. Another omnibus bill could be passed at any time with a combination of good things and bad things in it. To achieve some desired outcome, such a bill could contain the death tax as a compromise.”
“60 Plus will remain vigilant on the death tax and other issues of importance to seniors and their families,” Anuzis said.
While the Death Tax has been largely defanged, it is important that Congress knows America’s Seniors oppose expansion of the Death Tax and many support its complete elimination. Results from many Surveys that the 60 Plus Association has performed are attached so you may use them in your article.
