Long-term capital gains are currently taxed at 20% and upon death there is tax-free step-up in basis, allowing heirs to only pay taxes on gains that occur after the original owner’s death. There’s now talk of raising long-term capital gains taxes to 39.6% while retaining tax-free step-up. This would probably reduce tax revenues by pushing persons to increasingly hold assets till death rather than sell and pay high taxes. Unviable.