Jakarta, Indonesia - Singer Leony Vitria hartanti has sparked a public debate regarding Indonesian inheritance tax laws after voicing frustration over a 2.5% tax levied when transferring ownership of a property inherited from her father. The issue gained traction following Leony’s social media post detailing the unexpected expense, prompting widespread discussion about the financial burden placed on heirs.
The tax, applied to the assessed value of the house, reportedly amounts to tens of millions of Indonesian Rupiah, despite Leony simply seeking to update the property’s name. this revelation comes as the Directorate General of Taxes (DGT) faces increased scrutiny and public questioning regarding the fairness and transparency of its inheritance tax policies. Leony’s experiance highlights a concern shared by many Indonesians – the potential for meaningful tax liabilities when inheriting assets from family members, even when no actual sale or financial gain occurs.
“So, such as, I want to change the name of the house in the name of Bokap and keep his name, he has to tax the heir to pay for 2.5 percent of his home value,” Leony explained in her post, using the Indonesian term for ”father.” “Which is why I have to spend tens of millions of more money for the name of the door.”
Leony expressed feeling penalized despite consistently fulfilling her tax obligations, including annual property taxes. “I feel this is unfair, like this is the house when we buy we already pay taxes, every year we pay the United Nations, then now we only replace the name from Bokap to me, I have to pay again, hit again,” she stated.
The artist’s complaint resonated with numerous social media users,many of whom shared similar experiences with inheritance taxes. The outpouring of support and questions directed towards the DGT underscores a need for greater clarity and potential reform of inheritance tax regulations in Indonesia. The DGT has not yet issued a formal response to Leony’s concerns or the broader public discussion.
