Jensen explores the possibility that estate tax reform might bypass the House Ways and Means Committee

In Tax Breaks Heading House Floor -- an excellent post on Derek's Tax Blog --Derek W. Jensen (attorney, Seattle) informs that Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY] "intends to introduce legislation in December directly to the floor of the house that would keep a variety of tax breaks from expiring before the end of the year instead of having it go through the House Ways and Means Committee which he Chairs."

Jensen then asks and answers the difficult question on our minds, "Will this bill include an extension of the current estate tax exemptions into next year? Maybe, but it is undecided."

So, despite the clamor and the news this week, we begin the weekend exactly where we have been the past few years -- anticipating a coming change and befuddled by the lack of clarity from our lawmakers.  

For more on Rep. Rangel's plans to renew expiring tax breaks, see

• Bloomberg
• WebCPA