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The article highlights that it’s not actually that hard for the ultra-wealthy to avoid a massive estate tax bill through proper tax planning and investment strategies. What’s striking here is that this individual wasn’t even the richest person to ever die, yet he paid the largest estate tax in history, likely by choice.

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> likely by choice.

There is an element of competitiveness there. Some rich want to be known as rich and so they can brag about paying the most taxes that in turns implies they have the most money. Others want to be quieter about their wealth and so don't want you to know they have it and wouldn't tell you how much taxes they pay.

If he were doing it competitively, I don't understand the strategy. His name was leaked, not announced, and since he is dead he cannot feel like he won the competition.

Sometimes rich could not find a way out of paying a large tax, so instead they pull at least some good from their bad situation, and make it a PR.

And it's a good thing that government is strong enough to be able to collect large taxes. Contrary to popular opinion, rich people are mostly OK paying large taxes, but only as long as all other rich pay their share as well. The grudges they hold are only about unfairness, not about amounts.

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