It is the contention of the author of this book that a fair and balanced tax system should include either a wealth tax or a wealth transfer tax. With the current world trend toward lower and flatter income tax regimes and with the growing tendency to obtain more tax revenue from consumption, a greater emphasis on wealth or wealth transfer taxation would improve the total tax mix. This emphasis would recognise the greater capacity to pay that is derived from the posession of wealth.

This book looks at the tax mix, reasons for taxing personal wealth, forms of wealth taxation, forms of wealth transfer taxes, and the possibilities for reform.