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Buy, Borrow, Die: How America's Ultrawealthy Stay That Way

ProPublica1 HN recommenders · 2021–2022
475K views · explainer · dated · Uploaded 2021-06-08

A short ProPublica video explaining the "Buy, Borrow, Die" strategy wealthy Americans use to cut taxes. They borrow against appreciating assets instead of selling, and the gains are never taxed at death.

Shared as a clearer explanation of the tax loophole than the accompanying article.

Labor, work & inequalityInvesting & personal finance

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5 comments from Hacker News

@dakial12021 · in “We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%”

[VIDEO] They never sell, they borrow over that invested money and pay 3% (interest) instead of 37% (income tax)

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@29athrowaway2021 · in “IRS records reveal how the wealthiest avoid income tax”

A better way to structure the article would be: - explain how much tax evasion took place - explain how the tax evasion happens - who is doing it - what to do next. Only then, compare the situation to the average person. Everyone knows how much they pay in taxes themselves. This video does a better job at explaining the tax loophole: [VIDEO]

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@drobert2021 · in “IRS records reveal how the wealthiest avoid income tax”

In the video attached to the article they mention the rich loan money and live off that. They don't explain how they are paying that loan. [VIDEO] I felt the article was not very inspiring since it emphasised the tax the rich pay in relation to their wealth not their income. Which is irrelevant. Of course they are not going to spend all their wealth and pay tax on it.

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@toomuchtodo2021 · in “U.S. Government already projects $1T deficit every year for the next 10 years [pdf]”

It's more like the wealthy's "buy, borrow, die" strategy [1] without the cumbersome "buy" part. Japan's debt to gdp is almost 200% as the population decline continues. Confidence won’t evaporate until the market determines productivity can’t meet the yield bought. Somebody is going to be left holding the bag, but it ain’t anybody investing today. [1] [VIDEO]

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@toomuchtodo2022 · in “Musk announces funding secured for Twitter buy”

Tax the proceeds at loan origination (1099-whatever filed by whomever is providing the cash based on pledged assets). How you pay the loan back if the collateral declines in value is your problem (or the bank’s problem, depending on the amount in question). High level, it closes a financial engineering loophole (buy, borrow, die [1]). The taxable event is when you get liquid, and a loan is liquidity. The tax code requires a patch, that’s all. [1] [VIDEO]

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