Senate deal includes $174K tax free gift from taxpayers to Lautenberg's rich widow

[devil21]

Im so happy to help her out in her time of need!

http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/10/senate_funding_measure_include.html



Tucked amid the funding measures found in the Senate's bill to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling is a payment to Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg, widow of late Senator Frank Lautenberg.

The Senate resolution includes a $174,000 tax-free payment to the widow of the New Jersey Democrat who died June 3. At the time of his death, Lautenberg was worth an estimated $56.8 million. The House's version of the Continuing Resolution passed last month also includes the one-time payment, which is equal to a year's salary for a Senator.

According to a report in Roll Call, death gratuities like the one destined for Lautenberg's widow have been common practice for years. Roll Call cites a Congressional Research Service report on members who die in office, which says:

"...it has been the typical practice of the House to provide a death gratuity equal to the member's annual salary, payable to the deceased member's widow or widower, or children either in the annual legislative branch appropriations act or a measure providing supplemental funds for the legislative branch. By statute, a death gratuity is considered a gift."

Before his death, Lautenberg ranked as No. 9 on Roll Call's 50 Richest Members of Congress list. more at link

[AngryCanadian]

What a load of BS compromise.

[jclay2]

I can't stop fuming. Don't forget good ole Mitch's 2 billion dollar gift from reid to fund some damn dam on the kentucky/illinois border.

[Theocrat]

It does make one wonder how much got taken away from the late Frank Lautenberg in estate/inheritance taxes, though.

[amy31416]

It does make one wonder how much got taken away from the late Frank Lautenberg in estate/inheritance taxes, though.

I don't think you pay taxes on estates when you're a married couple, it just all transfers to the widow--seamlessly so long as the property is jointly owned. At least that's how it worked with my parents.

If it's not jointly owned, not sure how that works.

[eduardo89]

I don't think you pay taxes on estates when you're a married couple, it just all transfers to the widow--seamlessly so long as the property is jointly owned. At least that's how it worked with my parents.

If it's not jointly owned, not sure how that works.

There are different ways of jointly owning property, but having $50 million I suspect they had lawyers make sure they were set up in a way to avoid paying anything upon his death.

[Prog Snob]

So he's worth over $50 million, but she needs this $174,000 death benefit?

[devil21]

So he's worth over $50 million, but she needs this $174,000 death benefit?

How do you think they got so rich in the first place? He was in Congress for a bazillion years from one of the most corrupted states in the country, slowly but surely stealing money at every opportunity through crony contract kickbacks, voting himself pay raises, etc. It's only fitting that's he still fucking taxpayers even after death.

[PaulConventionWV]

So he's worth over $50 million, but she needs this $174,000 death benefit?

The impression I got is that it's some sort of "tradition" to give away taxpayer money to people. That would explain a lot. Apparently it's a tradition for the government to waste money.

[anaconda]

WTF? That's our tax money. This is almost like a story from The Onion.

[Brian4Liberty]

If she had the least bit of integrity or decency, she wouldn't accept it.

[Right Wing]

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the oppressed get more oppressed.

[Prog Snob]

How do you think they got so rich in the first place? He was in Congress for a bazillion years from one of the most corrupted states in the country, slowly but surely stealing money at every opportunity through crony contract kickbacks, voting himself pay raises, etc. It's only fitting that's he still fucking taxpayers even after death.

It's disgraceful. There should be some kind of cutoff, where if you are worth a certain amount you don't get the death benefit.

[jkr]

that would pay off my student loan...

[catfeathers]

that would pay off my student loan...

Heck, it would pay off my student loan, my house, my mother-in-law's house and buy me a car made in this century!

[Prog Snob]

Heck, it would pay off my student loan, my house, my mother-in-law's house and buy me a car made in this century!

and a few drinks. I could sure use some of those after all of this.

[angelatc]

By statute, a death gratuity is considered a gift."

And by also by statute, gifts are taxable.

[specsaregood]

It's disgraceful. There should be some kind of cutoff, where if you are worth a certain amount you don't get the death benefit.

You don't get rich and stay rich by turning down free money.

[Prog Snob]

You don't get rich and stay rich by turning down free money.

It shouldn't be up to them. This is a benefit we all pay into, or am I wrong about that?

[angelatc]

It's disgraceful. There should be some kind of cutoff, where if you are worth a certain amount you don't get the death benefit.

The best answer is - you don't get a death benefit. If you want a death benefit, buy insurance. Like the rest of us do.

[amy31416]

The best answer is - you don't get a death benefit. If you want a death benefit, buy insurance. Like the rest of us do.

I'm sure she already collected that through the normal congressional benefits, along with the pension.

[Carson]

They say it is customary and sounds reasonable to me.

I'll bet it was first adopted when we had a different sort of men and women holding positions of power and trust than we do now. More like regular people.

I remember a time before the open counterfeiting started. The honest hard earned dollar had a voice then and was the power behind the government and industry.

[MRK]

It's disgraceful. There should be some kind of cutoff, where if you are worth a certain amount you don't get the death benefit.

I completely agree. Negative infinity should be the ceiling at which you get disqualified for the death benefit.

[HOLLYWOOD]

I'm sure she already collected that through the normal congressional benefits, along with the pension.Is there a source for line item costs of congressional expenditures, retirement benefits, perks of the the current and legacy thieves and liars?

I would like to see what these wealthy bastards, especially those that have been in government for their entire adult lives, milking the system that taxpayer's are forced to submit upon.

[Anti Federalist]

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