How can this be justice?

[Lord Braykewynde]

How can it be right that two sisters, one 82 and the other 89, have to sell their home once one of them dies to pay inheritance tax?

When younger they looked after and cared for their elderly parents until they died. They never put them in a home to become a burden on society. Now in their old age, once one of them dies, the surviving sister will have to sell their home and find alternative accommodation, probably a nursing home.

If they were a married couple or gay and co-habiting together the surviving partner wouldn't have to sell but because they are siblings they have no protection under the law. They have even taken their case to the European Court and lost.

Society is truly sick and maybe it would be better if everyone was gay. The human race would then die out and there would be a chance of this planet healing itself and other species surviving.

Another source of income for Gordy to finance his wars and homes for illegal immigrants.

 

[Lutz]

One can rightly argue that a case like the one you describe in unjust, but one cannot say that it was not forseeable. The inheritance laws were not put together by Gordon Brown and his men. Unless I'm mistaken, they date back to the late 1920's, so there would have been ample opportunity for subsequent governments to put things right. Consequently, the sisters should have known what was coming and taken an appropriate course of action earlier on. I know that this is probably a bit much to expect at their age now but I don't know for how many years they had already been living together.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

That wasn't the point I was trying to get across Lutz.

The point is if it's ok for a married person or two gays in a civil partnership it should be ok for two sisters who had the house built 41 years ago and designed it themselves.

They have never married and have looked after their parents in that home.

It is totally immoral that when one of them dies the surviving sister should have to sell the family home in order to give yet more taxes to this immoral government.

Laws are made by people and if those laws are immoral they should be changed. Not all citizens are law savvy. It could be argued that maybe their solicitor should have educated them against this happening and whether the solicitor did or didn't doesn't detract from the fact it is immoral.

It just makes my blood boil to see octogenarians, people who are in the twilight of their lives, who have paid taxes all their lives treated like second class shite when illegal immigrants walk into this country and are looked after as if they are royalty.

It's not surprising that theres a break down of law and order and society throughout the western hemisphere is in meltdown.

 

[Lutz]

I get your point, but the fact remains that 50 years ago the two sisters would have been faced with the same problem. If a later government made things easier for other sections of the population and did not take cases like the one in question into account then this is a mistake on the part of the lawmakers, not society.

 

[CheapnCheerful]

I get your point, but the fact remains that 50 years ago the two sisters would have been faced with the same problem. If a later government made things easier for other sections of the population and did not take cases like the one in question into account then this is a mistake on the part of the lawmakers, not society.

Not so, it is only because of the rise in house value and that the inheritance tax threshold has (deliberately) not been raised in line. 50 years ago only the very rich would inherit enough to be taxed, and could afford the 40%, and in anycase I thought that inheritance tax was a fairly recently introduced, at least I' don't think it was around 50 years ago.

Nowadays anyone who inherits even a moderate house may have to pay the 40% tax, and through no fault of their own their house has soared to around

 

[Lutz]

I get your point, but the fact remains that 50 years ago the two sisters would have been faced with the same problem. If a later government made things easier for other sections of the population and did not take cases like the one in question into account then this is a mistake on the part of the lawmakers, not society.

Surely you aren't suggesting that if the inheritance tax threshold does not take house values into account then this is a reflection of society? It's still up to lawmakers and there have been a good many between Stanley Baldwin and Gordon Brown that could have done something about it.

The problem wouldn't be half as bad if real estate wasn't taxed according to its market value, but according to its rateable value, as it is here in Germany.

 

[CheapnCheerful]

Surely you aren't suggesting that if the inheritance tax threshold does not take house values into account then this is a reflection of society? It's still up to lawmakers and there have been a good many between Stanley Baldwin and Gordon Brown that could have done something about it.

The problem wouldn't be half as bad if real estate wasn't taxed according to its market value, but according to its rateable value, as it is here in Germany.

No, In fact I would rather see inheritance tax scrapped completely. Unfortunately their case is not unique - there has been several cases of the family home being handed down through generations, and then it has to be sold to pay the tax.

 

[joeby]

That wasn't the point I was trying to get across Lutz.

The point is if it's ok for a married person or two gays in a civil partnership it should be ok for two sisters who had the house built 41 years ago and designed it themselves.

They have never married and have looked after their parents in that home.

It is totally immoral that when one of them dies the surviving sister should have to sell the family home in order to give yet more taxes to this immoral government.

Laws are made by people and if those laws are immoral they should be changed. Not all citizens are law savvy. It could be argued that maybe their solicitor should have educated them against this happening and whether the solicitor did or didn't doesn't detract from the fact it is immoral.

It just makes my blood boil to see octogenarians, people who are in the twilight of their lives, who have paid taxes all their lives treated like second class shite when illegal immigrants walk into this country and are looked after as if they are royalty.

It's not surprising that theres a break down of law and order and society throughout the western hemisphere is in meltdown.

if my local MP had said what you just wrote L B i would go out and vote for them