NOTICE - Please do not rely on the death tax information found on this website.  It is obsolete.  Congress was to have amended the estate tax law prior to 2010 but did not do so because it has been grid-locked on the healthcare issue. And so, as of 2010, estate tax rules (which were never really intended to go into effect) are now the law of the land: the estate tax is repealed and "carry-over basis" has been installed in its stead, with the "old" (2001) rules and death tax rates becoming applicable next year (2011).  Everyone expects Congress to rectify the situation, but no one knows when or to what extent,  So, at the moment (March 2010), confusion reigns. When Congress acts to give us new rules, I will update the website. John Leekley