TALLAHASSEE—Joseph Dodge, Florida State University College of Law’s Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson Professor, testified before the United States Senate Finance Committee on March 12. Dodge spoke about alternatives to the nation’s current estate and gift tax laws, the status of which is uncertain after 2009. 

“The gist of my testimony was that the estate and gift tax system, which is seriously flawed, should be replaced by a transferee tax – a tax on people who receive bequests and other gratuitous transfers,” said Dodge. “It was interesting to see what the senators were interested in as opposed to the way academics view the issue.” 

Dodge is a leading authority on tax issues, having authored numerous influential articles and several books. He is an academic fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel, where he has chaired the Transfer Tax Study Committee, and has been chair of both the Tax Section and the Donative Transfers Section of the Association of American Law Schools. 

“Joseph Dodge’s expertise in the area of tax law makes him very qualified to speak about alternatives to expiring tax laws,” said Dean Don Weidner. “Florida State Law is proud to have on faculty a scholar whose testimony could help the U.S. Senate reform our estate and gift tax system.”