The former US president wanted to build a mausoleum, but refused
Donald Trump is accused of burying his first wife Ivana at his golf club in New Jersey to take advantage of tax exemptions on places that are cemeteries, the Daily Mail reported. The accusation came from Dartmouth professor Brooke Harrington. She reviewed New Jersey’s tax laws and found that there is no written requirement for how many human remains are required for a site to be considered a cemetery.
“This is a perfect opportunity to avoid taxes. “Property, income and sales taxes all go away,” Harrington said.
Ivana was buried in a plot on the golf course after her funeral in Manhattan on July 20. The former Czech model was found dead in her home on July 14 after falling down the stairs. She was 73 years old.
The former US president had previously designated the plot of land on his course as a farm to benefit from additional tax breaks as he produced mulch used for gardening. Thanks to New Jersey’s pro-agricultural taxation policies, Trump paid just $16.31 a year for the seat. Western publications have estimated that without the tax breaks for agricultural land, Trump would have to give about $80,000 a year in fees.
In 2014, the Trump Organization obtained permits for 10 burial plots on the golf course.
“Mr. Trump specifically chose this property to be buried as it is his favorite property,” his company said in a statement back in 2017.
The original plan for the site was for a family mausoleum with an altar, six seats and four stone obelisks nearly 6 meters high. Trump later abandoned the idea due to objections from local residents.
The former president can still change his mind about where to be buried. His late parents rest in a family plot in Queens, while he also has the option of resting in peace in Arlington, like all other former presidents.
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