CNN: Death Tax Revenue Tumbles 22%

CNN Money.com  in the article titled "Death Tax Revenue Tumbles 22%" reports that federal estate tax collections in 2010 fell 22% from a year ago.  The tax collections were the lowest since 1997.  Any collection of federal estate tax in 2010 may come as a surprise since the federal estate tax was zero for 2010.  However, these collections come from the estates in which decedents died in the previous years and did not have to file until 2010.  The estate tax loop has been closed for now and the estates of the decedents who die in 2011 would have to file and pay the estate tax if the their estates exceed $5 million.