Journal Press India^®

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Inheritance tax (or estate tax as it is referred to in some countries) is a tax levied on the total assets which the deceased has left behind. These taxes are implemented with a common aim that is to achieve social and economic equality. The Constitution of India entrusts the duty upon the government to ensure the policies drafted should aim to reduce the concentration of wealth and reduce the inequality in the society. India, a developing country struggling hard to overcome the wide socio-economic gap, abolished estate taxation in the year 1986. This paper compares India without estate tax with the countries who have successfully implemented the estate tax. The paper concludes with a proposal to implement the estate tax in India once again, so as to utilize the limited resources of the country in the best possible way.

Keywords

Inheritance tax; Estate tax; Socio-economic equality; Inclusive development.

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