No, it isn&#x27;t taken away. The person that owned it is dead.<p>If you decided to give it to your children or whatever, it&#x27;ll get taxed just like if you tried to give them that much money before you died. If in your will you decide to give it to a non-profit charity instead, it&#x27;s <i>not</i> taxed.<p>You aren&#x27;t taxed for dying. The person who died isn&#x27;t taxed at all. It&#x27;s the people that are still alive that are now receiving money that are taxed.<p>How is any of this unfair? Your children didn&#x27;t do anything to earn that money. Why should they get it at all?