How many rich people are going to die in 2010?

I have to at first make a few assumptions. 1. You mean in the United States. 2. Let's define "rich" as those making in the 95%-100% income range. I'm going to guess the average age of someone with such a salary is 50 years old. The chance of the average 50 year-old dying within the span of the next year is .005, or .5 percent. Assuming a person with a richer lifestyle is more likely to be healthy, something less than that. Suicide rates increasing along with the significant majority of wealthy individuals being male should play minimal roles.

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Is that the year the estate tax goes to zero?

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I believe so, unless it was changed that was what it was a few years back.

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Suicide rates increasing along with the significant majority of wealthy individuals being male should play minimal roles.

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I think the implication is more homicide than suicide.
ETA: This is the primary reason why I choose to stay poor. I don't want to give anyone the financial incentive to have me bumped.

I don't think the law will remain unchanged by the incoming Congress. I expect the new Congress to pass legislation making the 2009 laws permanent. Thus the opportunity to die in 2010 without any estate tax will not be avaialble to anyone. So the numbers of rich people who die in 2010 will be a normal amount for any given year.