Under the Obama administration, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 brought back the federal estate tax for 2010, sort of.

FORBES: IRS Issues Extension for Form Not Yet Available (Thanks?)

The just-enacted Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Authorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 makes great strides against the Federal estate tax burden that otherwise would have taken hold January 1, 2011.

FORBES: You Still Need to Plan Your Estate

Fiscal tightening is programmed to intensify in 2012 as a reduced payroll tax and more generous unemployment-insurance benefits expire at the end of 2011, and federal spending cuts contained in previous budget agreements will take effect.

ECONOMIST: The recovery runs out of steam