Labour's CGT a Death Duty in Drag

Responding to confirmation that under Labour’s capital gains tax policy children would have to pay the tax if they sold a family home after both parents have passed, Ben Craven, Spokesman for the Taxpayers’ Union, says:

“Labour’s capital gains tax is looking more and more like a death duty in drag. The vast majority of estates are liquidated, even where the family home is in a trust to the children.”

“The last time death duty existed in New Zealand was 1992. It appears that Labour are looking to reintroduce it but under another name with far more complexity. When children lose their parents they should be encouraged to put the inheritance to good use. Instead, Labour’s policy would whack them with a tax bill.”

"If Mr Cunliffe's comments to media are correct, his policy will create a cruel tax incentive to quickly sell the family home while parents are still on their death beds. Mr Cunliffe's statements to the media must be mistaken, or Labour really haven't thought this one through."

ENDS

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