Where Not To Die In The U.S. In 2026

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Forbes

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4.4 • 18 Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 7 minutes

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Summary

The middle-aged Pennsylvania couple had lived together for more than a decade, buying a home together and sharing other assets. They never got married. It didn’t matter, they thought. But after he died of cancer recently, leaving her his entire estate, it did matter. A lot. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that still imposes an inheritance tax–a tax on transfers from a person who has died to the people who inherit, with rates based on the category of recipient. Transfers to spouses, but not to unmarried partners, are exempt. Pennsylvania subjected everything she was left to inheritance tax at the state’s top 15% rate. The woman, who asked not to be identified, was shocked. Americans spend a lot of time thinking about where to live for tax purposes. States like Florida and Texas lure both billionaires and ordinary workers by touting their lack of a state income tax. Other states lure seniors with generous exemptions for retirement income. But another question gets less attention: Where is the most expensive place in the U.S. to die? By Kelly Phillips Erb, Senior Writer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Attention all passengers.
0:04.2	The Uber ride for Mark and Jamal's romantic weekend will depart in four minutes from Platform 6.
0:10.5	Your ride comes with a rolling countryside sunset view and a table seat, ideal for playing footsie beneath.
0:17.9	Thank you for booking your tickets on Uber.
0:21.6	Trains on Uber.
0:24.1	Some follow the noise.
0:26.5	Bloomberg follows the money.
0:28.3	Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings.
0:32.5	There's a money side to every story.
0:34.9	Get the money side of the story.
0:37.0	Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com.
0:42.3	Today on Forbes, where not to die in the U.S. in 2026. The middle-aged Pennsylvania couple had lived
0:52.3	together for more than a decade, buying a home
0:54.8	together and sharing other assets.
0:57.0	They never got married.
0:59.0	It didn't matter, they thought.
1:01.0	But after he died of cancer recently, leaving her, his entire estate, it did matter.
1:07.0	A lot.
1:09.0	Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that still imposes an inheritance tax, a tax on transfers
1:14.6	from a person who has died to the people who inherit, with rates based on the category of
1:20.0	recipient. Transfers to spouses, but not to unmarried partners, are exempt.
1:26.3	Pennsylvania subjected everything she was left to inheritance tax at the state's top 15% rate.
	...

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