> capital gains on stocks are high-to-ridiculous
Hot take: Given the state of wealth inequality and that the vast majority of capital gains go to a tiny fraction of people, why do we still have lower taxes for capital gains? Maybe it has out-lived its usefulness/purpose.
> Germany has the highest number of billionaires in Europe.
> Those contributing the worst to wealth inequality are paying minuscule taxes through family offices
One thing that I wish more countries did to handle large inheritances: Make people pay a relatively high inhertiance tax (say 25-50%), but grant them a state-backed low interest loan to repay the inheritance tax over 15-30 years. My hottest take: Make there almost no exemptions (farms, family homes, etc.) and no minimum. Any well-run, but private business, should easily be able to pay this back within the timeframe. Also, it would protect family-owned businesses, which I know is an important cultural consideration in Germany, thanks to Mittelstand.