The highly-debatable estate tax is a touchy subject among farmers, and Republicans are hopeful a new administration means the death tax could be laid to rest.
Republicans plan to abolish the estate tax, claiming it forces children of recently deceased farmers to sell land in order to pay for it. Democrats are arguing that’s false.
According to the Financial Times, Professor Neil Harl of Iowa State University says in many cases the children sell the farms after the death of a parent because they don’t want to farm, not because they need the money to pay for it.
Many Republicans still want to see the end of the estate tax, saying it’s a tax that punishes hard work, savings and success.
