Revenues Raised        Revenues Raised and Cost of Compliance     Death Taxes - Rate Reduction/Phased in Repeal        Death taxes raise a small portion of total federal revenue.               Raised $23 billion in 1998, or 1.4% of revenues     It costs the same amount to collect, enforce and comply as the revenue received.   (Joint Economic Committee, 1998)   “Death Taxes” —  Rate Reduction/Phased In Repeal               If the rate of tax for estate taxes was reduced from its current level of 55% to the highest rate of income tax, or 39.6%, the revenue loss to the Federal government on a static basis (year-by-year summed from 1998-2002) would be $18.3 billion.     If the Unified Credit (lifetime exemption) was increased from $600,000 to $1,000,000, the Federal revenue loss on a static basis (summed from 1998-2002) would be $25.5 billion.     Conclusion: A reduction in the tax rate results in more Federal revenue than an increase in the Unified Credit.