Over the last 40 years, many of the wealthiest Americans have effectively seceded from taxation.

While regular Americans - from surgeons to bus drivers - pay large chunks (sometimes half!) of their income in taxes, lots of those with billions of dollars pay a teeny, tiny sliver of their wealth in taxes each year. And their heirs can inherit billions of dollars tax free.

How have we let this happen? And why don't most people know about it? Boston College scholar Ray Madoff - author of The Second Estate - talks about what the heck is going on.

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Why do affluent suburbs in Boston and Houston vote completely differently, yet share one surprising thing in common? Economist Melissa Kearney, author of The Two-Parent Privilege, reveals that one of America's most consequential divides isn't about red states versus blue states. It's about whether you're raising kids with a partner, and the economic advantages are stark and surprising.

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"It Turns Out" reveals the hidden realities reshaping our world—from how marriage impacts inequality to the way that the tax code has transformed wealth. Through conversations with experts who challenge conventional wisdom, award-winning journalist Kara Miller focuses each episode on groundbreaking research, changing how listeners see society, economics, technology, and human behavior. “It Turns Out” delves into data that directly impacts your life—whether you know it or not.