TL;DR
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby called for a national wealth tax and inheritance taxes that could approach 100% at some level, saying wealth inequality threatens society. He did not provide a tax plan; any new federal tax would require decisions about thresholds, assets and valuations, and no policy change was announced.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has called for a national tax on wealth and inheritance taxes that could approach 100% at some level, arguing that the wealth gap poses a danger to society. In an interview with The New York Times published October 18, Kirby said he would pay such taxes, but he did not outline a plan or specify who would be taxed, at what rates, or how the rules would work.
Kirby made the remarks while responding to a question about declining public trust in corporate executives. He argued a wealth tax would need to be national, rather than imposed separately by states, because wealthy people might move to avoid a state levy. His proposal for inheritance taxes was broader still: he said rates should get close to 100% “at some level,” without defining the level or describing exemptions.
The comments are a personal policy position, not an announcement of United Airlines policy or a formal tax proposal. The source report says Kirby is reportedly worth more than $125 million. It offers no information about how he calculated that estimate or whether his suggested taxes would apply to his own assets.
The Center for American Progress, as cited in the report, says the top 1% of U.S. households holds nearly 32% of national wealth, while the bottom 50% holds about 2.5%. The report describes that gap as the widest in 30 years. Those figures frame the debate, but they do not establish the likely effects of any particular tax proposal.
How a Wealth Tax Could Affect Assets
A wealth tax would differ from the federal income taxes many people pay on wages or other taxable income. It would generally be based on a person’s net worth at a given time—assets minus debts—rather than the income earned during a year. Depending on its design, it could apply even when an asset had risen in value but had not been sold.
That distinction matters for people with substantial holdings in investments or businesses, but the practical reach would depend on rules that Kirby did not propose. Lawmakers would have to decide the tax threshold, rate, frequency and covered assets, as well as how to assess property that is not regularly traded. A tax on wealth is not automatically a tax on every household’s savings; the threshold and exemptions would determine who is affected.
Inheritance taxes raise a separate question: how to tax wealth transferred after someone dies. The rules can affect estate planning and what beneficiaries receive, but Kirby’s comments did not specify whether a tax would be paid by an estate, an heir, or both, or how it would interact with existing federal and state law. Without those details, the effect on any particular family cannot be calculated.
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Current Federal Estate Tax Rules
The U.S. generally taxes many forms of income, including wages and certain investment gains. In many cases, increases in the value of investments are not subject to capital gains tax until the assets are sold, though other rules may apply. A wealth tax would address accumulated assets differently by taxing some measure of their value even without a sale.
Under current federal law described in the source report, the estate itself generally pays federal estate tax when applicable, rather than the heir paying a federal inheritance tax. The top federal estate tax rate is 40%, and the exemption is high enough that many estates owe no federal estate tax. For people who die in 2026, the report gives the federal lifetime exemption as $15 million per person, or $30 million for a married couple.
Some states have estate taxes, and five—Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey and Pennsylvania—tax certain inheritances, according to the report. Whether an inheritance creates a tax bill depends on factors including the type of asset, the estate and the state involved. The source also describes a California ballot proposal concerning a one-time tax on certain assets held by billionaires who were state residents on January 1, 2026. That proposal is distinct from a recurring national wealth tax and does not represent federal policy.
“Wealth inequality has become a danger to our society, and we need to address that.”
— Scott Kirby, United Airlines CEO, in an interview with The New York Times
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Key Design Questions Remain Open
Kirby did not specify a minimum net worth, tax rate, annual or one-time collection schedule, or treatment of debts and different asset classes. The valuation of private businesses, art and intellectual property could be difficult, as those assets may not have clear market prices. The interview, as summarized in the source report, does not explain how a national tax would address those challenges or prevent avoidance.
His reference to inheritance taxes approaching 100% “at some level” leaves unanswered which transfers or beneficiaries he meant and whether the rate would apply only above a high threshold. There is also no bill or administration proposal identified in the source material. The comments alone do not change current tax obligations, and the likely revenue or economic effects of a policy cannot be inferred from Kirby’s remarks.
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No Federal Proposal Announced
The next concrete step would be a detailed proposal from lawmakers or the administration, followed by legislative debate over rates, thresholds, exemptions, enforcement and revenue use. The source report does not identify a federal bill linked to Kirby’s comments, a timetable for legislation, or any commitment by Congress to act.
Readers should distinguish Kirby’s remarks from state and federal tax rules currently in force. State ballot measures and other tax proposals may bring related questions into public debate, but their scope and status differ. Any change to what households owe would depend on enacted legislation and its final rules; until then, Kirby’s comments are advocacy rather than a change in tax law.
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Key Questions
Did United Airlines announce a new tax policy?
No. The remarks were made by CEO Scott Kirby in an interview about public trust in corporate executives. The source does not present them as United Airlines policy or as a company announcement.
Would a wealth tax be the same as income tax?
No. A wealth tax would generally be based on a person’s net worth, or assets minus debts, while income tax applies to taxable income. A wealth tax could apply to asset value even if the owner had not sold the asset, depending on the law.
Do heirs automatically pay federal tax on an inheritance?
No. Under the rules described in the source report, inheriting money does not automatically trigger federal income or inheritance tax. The federal estate tax, when it applies, is generally paid by the estate; state rules and the type of asset can affect the outcome.
Did Kirby explain who would face a 100% inheritance tax?
No. He said inheritance tax rates could approach 100% “at some level,” but did not define that level, set a threshold or explain which transfers would be covered.
Would these taxes take effect now?
No change was announced. Kirby offered no detailed proposal, and his comments do not alter current federal or state tax law. Any new tax would depend on legislation and the rules ultimately adopted.
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