Example estate management dissertation topic 7:

An investigation into inheritance tax and the rural estate.

Though mindful of the parlous state of the nation’s economy, this dissertation advances the proposition that inheritance tax should be removed from rural estates regardless of size and/or income. In advancing this controversial policy, this dissertation suggests that the longer-term viability of the rural economy and in particular the livelihood of dairy farmers is of greater importance than the ‘drop in the ocean’ that such revenues provide the Treasury. Using both qualitative and quantitative data this dissertation will firstly contextualise the present day problems with reference to both the amounts of inheritance taxed raised over the last decade and the effect that this has had on estate splitting. Thereafter, the second part of the dissertation will use primary data in the form of interviews to present the views of estate owners and their families to illustrate the need for a change in existing government policy.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Gale, W.G. and Slemrod, J.B. (2001). ‘Policy watch: Death watch for the estate tax?’ Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 15(1), pp. 205-218.
• Gasson, R., Crow, G., Errington, A., Hutson, J., Marsden, T. and Winter, D.M. (2008). ‘The farm as a family business: A review’. Journal of Agricultural Economics, vol. 39(1), pp. 1-41.
• Mumford, A. (2007). ‘Inheritance in socio-political context: The case for reviving the sociological discourse of inheritance tax law’. Journal of Law and Society, vol. 34(4), pp. 567-593.