Purpose(s) of the Tax Code

[OldJack]

Until Microsoft stock is "marked to market" each year, I think it's fairly obvious that he has avoided paying tax on his unrealized capital gains.

Tax law to require Bill Gates or anyone else to recognize gain "before" selling the stock would also, to be fair, require recognizing gain on all assets owned by the taxpayer every year. Recognizing gain on sale is the way the tax law works and to say it is "avoiding" taxes is just plain unrealistic.

[Joe Btfsplk]

The Gates family itself, of course, is opposed to estate-tax repeal. Or at least that's what their PR consultants tell them they should say.

I had not heard that the Gates family favors the estate tax, but I have read several times that Warren Buffett favors keeping the estate tax. After all, "you can't take it with you."

[joanmcq]

Bill Gate's father is an outspoken critic of estate tax repeal, as is Warren Buffet.