General Explanations 

of the 

Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 

Revenue Proposals 

Department of the Treasury 

February 2008 
General Explanations 

of the 

Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 

Revenue Proposals 

Department of the Treasury 

February 2008 

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Table of Contents 

GENERAL EXPLANATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION’S FISCAL YEAR 2009 REVENUE 

PROPOSALS ...............................................................................................................................................................1

STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION IN 2008..................................................................................1

IMPROVE THE TAX SYSTEM AND MAKE THE UNITED STATES MORE COMPETITIVE ..................................................1

MAKE PERMANENT CERTAIN TAX RELIEF ENACTED IN 2001 AND 2003 ..............................................3

PERMANENTLY EXTEND CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE 2001 TAX RELIEF AND THE 2003 JOBS AND GROWTH TAX 

RELIEF.......................................................................................................................................................................3

TAX INCENTIVES.....................................................................................................................................................5

SIMPLIFY AND ENCOURAGE SAVING .........................................................................................................................5

Expand tax-free savings opportunities...................................................................................................................5

Consolidate employer-based savings accounts ....................................................................................................12

ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INVESTMENT ..............................................................................................17

Increase expensing for small business..................................................................................................................17

INVEST IN HEALTH CARE.........................................................................................................................................19

Provide a new standard deduction for health insurance (SDHI) ($15,000 for family coverage and $7,500 for 

single coverage) ............................................................................................................................................19

Expand and make health savings accounts (HSAs) more flexible ........................................................................23

Allow the orphan drug tax credit for certain pre-designation expenses...............................................................27

PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR CHARITABLE GIVING .....................................................................................................28

Permanently extend tax-free withdrawals from IRAs for charitable contributions..............................................28

Permanently extend the enhanced charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory ..............................30

Permanently extend the enhanced deduction for corporate contributions of computer equipment for 

educational purposes.....................................................................................................................................32

Permanently extend increased limits on contributions of partial interests in real property for conservation 

purposes ........................................................................................................................................................33

Permanently extend the basis adjustment to stock of S corporations contributing appreciated property............35

Reform excise tax based on investment income of private foundations................................................................36

STRENGTHEN EDUCATION .......................................................................................................................................38

Permanently extend the above-the-line deduction for qualified out-of-pocket classroom expenses.....................38

Allow the Saver’s Credit for contributions to qualified tuition programs............................................................39

STRENGTHEN HOUSING ...........................................................................................................................................41

Allow tax-exempt qualified mortgage bonds to refinance home mortgages to provide relief for subprime 

borrowers......................................................................................................................................................41

PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................................................43

Permanently extend expensing of brownfields remediation costs ........................................................................43

Eliminate the volume cap for private activity bonds for water infrastructure......................................................45

RESTRUCTURE ASSISTANCE TO NEW YORK CITY....................................................................................................47

Provide tax incentives for transportation infrastructure......................................................................................47

SIMPLIFY THE TAX LAWS FOR FAMILIES ....................................................................................................51

Clarify uniform definition of a child.....................................................................................................................51

Simplify EITC eligibility requirements regarding filing status, presence of children, and work and immigrant 

status .............................................................................................................................................................55

Reduce computational complexity of refundable child tax credit.........................................................................59

IMPROVE TAX COMPLIANCE............................................................................................................................61

INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................61

EXPAND INFORMATION REPORTING ........................................................................................................................63

Require information reporting on payments to corporations...............................................................................63

Require basis reporting on security sales.............................................................................................................64

Require information reporting on merchant payment card reimbursements........................................................65

Require a certified Taxpayer Identification Number from contractors................................................................67

Require increased information reporting for certain government payments for property and services...............69

Increase information return penalties..................................................................................................................70

iii 
iv 

Improve the foreign trust reporting penalty .........................................................................................................72

IMPROVE COMPLIANCE BY BUSINESSES ..................................................................................................................74

Require e-filing by certain large organizations....................................................................................................74

Implement standards clarifying when employee leasing companies can be held liable for their clients’ 

Federal employment taxes.............................................................................................................................76

STRENGTHEN TAX ADMINISTRATION ......................................................................................................................78

Expand IRS access to information in the National Directory of New Hires for tax administration purposes......78

Permit disclosure of prison tax scams..................................................................................................................79

Make repeated willful failure to file a tax return a felony....................................................................................80

Facilitate tax compliance with local jurisdictions................................................................................................81

Extension of statute of limitations where State tax adjustment affects Federal tax liability.................................82

Improve investigative disclosure statute...............................................................................................................84

PENALTIES...............................................................................................................................................................85

Impose penalty on failure to comply with electronic filing requirements.............................................................85

IMPROVE TAX ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROPOSALS..............................87

Make Section 1203 of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 more effective and fair............................87

Allow for the termination of installment agreements for failure to file returns and for failure to make 

deposits..........................................................................................................................................................89

Eliminate the monetary threshold for counsel review of offers in compromise....................................................90

Extend IRS authority to fund undercover operations ...........................................................................................91

Increase transparency of the cost of employer-provided health coverage ...........................................................92

Conform penalty standards between preparers and taxpayers ............................................................................93

Eliminate the special exclusion from unrelated business taxable income for gain or loss on the sale or 

exchange of certain brownfields....................................................................................................................95

Limit related party interest deductions.................................................................................................................97

Repeal telephone excise tax on local service........................................................................................................99

Modify financing of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund....................................................................................101

Modify financing of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund......................................................................................103

IMPROVE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE...................................................................................................105

Strengthen the financial integrity of the unemployment insurance system by reducing improper benefit 

payments and tax avoidance........................................................................................................................105

Extend unemployment insurance surtax .............................................................................................................107

ENERGY PROVISIONS ........................................................................................................................................109

Repeal reduced recovery period for natural gas distribution lines....................................................................109

Modify amortization for certain geological and geophysical expenditures........................................................110

EXTEND EXPIRING PROVISIONS....................................................................................................................111

Extend minimum tax relief for individuals..........................................................................................................111

Permanently extend the Research & Experimentation (R&E) tax credit ...........................................................113

Extend the first-time homebuyer credit for the District of Columbia .................................................................115

Extend deferral of gains from the sale of electric transmission property...........................................................116

Extend the New Markets Tax Credit...................................................................................................................118

Extend subpart F active financing exception......................................................................................................119

Extend subpart F look-through exception ..........................................................................................................121

Qualified retirement plan distributions to individuals called to active duty ......................................................122

Disclosure of tax return information related to terrorist activity.......................................................................124

Disclosure of tax return information for administration of veterans programs.................................................125

Excise tax on coal...............................................................................................................................................126

Election to include combat pay as earned income for EITC ..............................................................................127

REVENUE ESTIMATES TABLE.........................................................................................................................129
GENERAL EXPLANATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION’S FISCAL YEAR 2009 

REVENUE PROPOSALS 

Stimulate Economic Growth and Job Creation in 2008 

Our most pressing immediate economic priority is for the Administration and the Congress to 

work together to enact a temporary economic stimulus package to keep our economy growing 

and create jobs. The package should take effect as quickly as possible, provide broad-based tax 

relief for individuals, and include tax incentives for business investment. The Administration will 

work with the Congress in a bipartisan manner to enact initiatives that provide timely, temporary, 

and effective support to the Nation’s economy. 

Improve the Tax System and Make the United States More Competitive 

As a longer-term consideration, Americans deserve a tax system that is simple, fair, and progrowth – in tune with our dynamic, 21st century economy. The tax system should promote the 

competitiveness of American workers and businesses in the global economy. The report, 

Approaches to Improve the Competitiveness of the U.S. Business Tax System for the 21st Century, 

released by the Treasury Department in December 2007 outlines several broad approaches to 

business tax reform and lays the groundwork for discussion of ways to ensure that the Nation’s 

business tax system better meets the needs of businesses in today’s global economy and 

improves living standards for all Americans. 

The President’s tax relief enacted in 2001 and 2003 helped make the tax code fairer, simpler, and 

more pro-growth. The FY 2009 Budget proposals include making the 2001 and 2003 tax relief 

permanent, which is essential for promoting economic growth and higher living standards in the 

future. The Administration has made additional proposals that would improve the tax code 

further. These proposals affect a wide range of areas, including simplifying and encouraging 

saving, encouraging entrepreneurship and investment, making health care more affordable and 

consumer-driven, providing incentives for charitable giving, strengthening education, and 

protecting the environment. Also included are proposals to simplify the tax law for families, 

improve tax compliance, improve tax administration, improve the administration of 

unemployment insurance, modify energy tax provisions, and extend expiring tax provisions. 

1
MAKE PERMANENT CERTAIN TAX RELIEF ENACTED IN 2001 AND 2003 

Permanently Extend Certain Provisions of the 2001 Tax Relief and the 2003 Jobs and 

Growth Tax Relief 

Current Law

The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) created a new 

10-percent individual income tax rate bracket, reduced marginal income tax rates for individuals, 

doubled the child credit and extended its refundability, reduced marriage penalties, eliminated 

the phase-out of personal exemptions and the limitation on certain itemized deductions for 

higher-income taxpayers, provided additional incentives for education, increased Individual 

Retirement Account and pension incentives, eliminated the estate and generation-skipping 

transfer taxes, and modified the gift tax. These and several other provisions of EGTRRA sunset 

on December 31, 2010. 

The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA) increased the amount of 

qualifying property that can be expensed in the year of purchase rather than being depreciated 

and lowered the tax rates on qualifying dividends and on capital gains. The provisions were 

extended by the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA). The 

liberalized expensing provision was further extended by the Small Business and Work 

Opportunity Tax Act of 2007 (SBWOTA), which also increased the amount that may be 

expensed in a single taxable year. These provisions sunset on December 31, 2010. 

Reasons for Change

The tax relief and incentives to work, save, and invest provided by EGTRRA and JGTRRA, and 

expanded by SBWOTA, are essential to the long-run performance of the economy. All 

taxpayers should have the certainty of knowing that these provisions will extend beyond 2010. 

Taxpayers plan for periods far beyond the scheduled sunset dates of the EGTRRA and JGTRRA 

provisions when saving for their children’s education, undertaking new business ventures, 

planning for retirement, and planning future contributions to charity and bequests for their 

children. Permanent extension of the provisions is essential for promoting growth and higher 

levels of income in the future. 

Proposal

The provisions of EGTRRA that sunset on December 31, 2010 would be permanently extended. 

The provisions of JGTRRA that sunset on December 31, 2010 (as expanded and extended) 

would be permanently extended. 

3
Revenue Estimate1

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-422 -2,077 -13,095 -158,453 -236,584 -255,388 -665,597 -2,185,294 

 

1

 The estimate includes both receipts and outlay effects. The outlay effect is $108,524 million for 2009-2018. 

4
TAX INCENTIVES 

Simplify and Encourage Saving 

EXPAND TAX-FREE SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES 

Current Law

Current law provides multiple tax-preferred individual savings accounts to encourage saving for 

retirement, education, and health expenses. The accounts have overlapping goals but are subject 

to different sets of rules regulating eligibility, contribution limits, tax treatment, and withdrawal 

restrictions. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), including traditional, nondeductible, and 

Roth IRAs, are primarily intended to encourage retirement saving, but can also be used for 

certain education, medical, and other non-retirement expenses. Each of the three types of IRAs 

is subject to a different set of rules regulating eligibility and tax treatment. Coverdell Education 

Savings Accounts (ESAs) and Section 529 Qualified Tuition Programs (QTPs) are both intended 

to encourage saving for education, but each is subject to different rules. Archer Medical Savings 

Accounts (MSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are intended to encourage saving for 

medical expenses, but each is subject to different rules. 

Individual Retirement Accounts: Under current law, individuals under age 701⁄2 may make 

contributions to a traditional IRA, subject to certain limits. The contributions are generally 

deductible; however, the deduction is phased out for workers with incomes above certain levels 

who are covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan. For taxpayers covered by employer 

plans in 2008, the deduction is phased out for single and head-of-household filers with modified 

adjusted gross income2 (AGI) between $53,000 and $63,000, for married filing jointly filers with 

modified AGI between $85,000 and $105,000, and for married filing separately filers with 

modified AGI between $0 and $10,000. For a married filing jointly taxpayer who is not covered, 

but whose spouse is covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan, the deduction is phased 

out with modified AGI between $159,000 and $169,000. Account earnings are not includible in 

gross income until distributed. Distributions (including both contributions and account earnings) 

are includible in gross income for income tax purposes. 

To the extent a taxpayer cannot or does not make deductible contributions to a traditional IRA or 

a Roth IRA, a taxpayer under age 701⁄2 may make nondeductible contributions to a traditional 

IRA. In this case, distributions representing a return of basis are not includible in gross income, 

while distributions representing account earnings are includible in gross income. There is no 

income limit for nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA. 

Individuals of any age may make contributions to a Roth IRA. The contributions are not 

deductible. Allowable contributions are phased out for workers with incomes above certain 

levels. In 2008, contributions are phased out for single or head-of-household filers with 

modified AGI between $101,000 and $116,000, for married filing jointly filers with modified 

 

2

 AGI plus income from education savings bonds, interest paid on education loans, employer-provided adoption 

assistance benefits, IRA deductions, deductions for qualified higher education expenses, and certain other 

adjustments. 

5
AGI between $159,000 and $169,000, and for married filing-separate filers with modified AGI 

between $0 and $10,000. Account earnings accumulate tax free, and qualified distributions 

(including account earnings) are not included in gross income for income tax purposes. 

Nonqualified distributions from Roth IRAs are included in income (to the extent they exceed 

basis) and subject to an additional tax. Distributions are deemed to come from basis first. 

The annual aggregate limit on contributions to all of a taxpayer’s IRAs (traditional, 

nondeductible, and Roth) is the lesser of earnings or $5,000 in 2008, and will be indexed for 

inflation after 2008. Individuals age 50 and over may make an additional “catch-up” 

contribution of up to $1,000. 

Taxpayers with AGI of $100,000 or less and who are not married filing separately can convert a 

traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. In general, the conversion amount is included in gross income 

(but not for purposes of the $100,000 limit). The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation 

Act of 2005 repealed the income limitation for conversions from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA 

made after December 31, 2009. Taxpayers who make such conversions in 2010 may include 

half of the conversion amount in income in each year 2011 and 2012, and none of the amount in 

income in 2010. Conversions made on or after January 1, 2011 will be included in gross income 

in the year of the conversion. 

Early distributions from IRAs are generally subject to an additional 10 percent tax. The tax is 

imposed on the portion of an early distribution that is includible in gross income. It applies in 

addition to ordinary income taxes on the distribution. The additional tax does not apply to a 

rollover to an employer plan or IRA, or if the distribution is made in the cases of death or 

disability, certain medical expenses, first-time homebuyer expenses, qualified higher-education 

expenses, health insurance expenses of unemployed individuals, or as part of a series of 

substantially equal periodic payments. 

Minimum distribution rules require that, beginning at age 701⁄2, the entire amount of a traditional 

IRA be distributed over the expected life of the individual (or the joint lives of the individual and 

a designated beneficiary). Roth IRAs are not subject to minimum distribution rules during the 

account owner’s lifetime. 

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts: Taxpayers may elect to contribute up to $2,000 per year 

to an ESA for beneficiaries under age 18. The contribution limit is phased out for single filers 

with modified AGI between $95,000 and $110,000 and for joint filers with modified AGI 

between $190,000 and $220,000. Contributions are not deductible, but earnings on contributions 

accumulate tax-free. Distributions are excludable from gross income to the extent they do not 

exceed qualified education expenses that are incurred during the year the distributions are made 

and that are not used to claim another tax benefit (such as an education tax credit or a tax-free 

distribution from a QTP). The earnings portion of a distribution not used to cover qualified 

education expenses is includible in the gross income of the beneficiary and is generally subject to 

an additional 10 percent tax. 

Except in the case of a special needs beneficiary, when a beneficiary reaches age 30, the account 

balance is deemed to have been distributed for nonqualified purposes. However, prior to the 

6
beneficiary reaching age 30, tax-free (and penalty-free) rollovers of account balances may be 

made to an ESA benefiting another family member. 

Section 529 Qualified Tuition Programs: Contributions to a QTP are not deductible from income 

for Federal tax purposes, but earnings on contributions accumulate tax-free. Taxpayers may 

exclude from gross income amounts distributed from a QTP and used for qualified higher 

education expenses, so long as the distribution is not used for the same educational expenses for 

which another tax benefit (such as an education tax credit or a tax-free distribution from an ESA) 

is claimed. Nonqualified distributions are subject to an additional tax. A change in the 

designated beneficiary of an account is not treated as a distribution, and therefore is not subject 

to income tax, if the new beneficiary is a member of the family of the prior beneficiary and is in 

the same or higher generation as the prior designated beneficiary. Neither contributors nor 

beneficiaries may direct the investment of the account. 

There is no specific dollar cap on annual contributions to a QTP. In addition, there is no limit on 

contributions to a QTP account based on the contributor’s income, contributions are allowed at 

any time during the beneficiary’s lifetime, and the account can remain open after the beneficiary 

reaches age 30. However, a QTP must provide adequate safeguards to prevent contributions on 

behalf of a designated beneficiary in excess of amounts necessary to provide for the qualified 

higher education expenses of the beneficiary. 

Some States allow contributions to be excluded from income for State income tax purposes. 

Saver’s Credit: Taxpayers may receive a nonrefundable credit on up to $2,000 contributed to 

employer-sponsored elective deferral plans, IRAs, or Roth IRAs. An eligible taxpayer must be 

at least 18 years old, must not be eligible to be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer, and 

must not be a full-time student. The credit is equal to a percentage of the amount contributed. 

The applicable percentage is based on AGI (adjusted for inflation) and filing status and is 

determined according to the following table for 2008: 

Adjusted Gross Income 

Joint Return Head of a Household All other cases 

Over Not Over Over Not Over Over Not 

Over 

Applicable 

percentage 

$32,000 $24,000 $16,000 50 

$32,000 $34,500 $24,000 $25,875 $16,000 $17,250 20 

$34,500 $53,000 $25,875 $39,750 $17,250 $26,500 10 

$53,000 $39,750 $26,500 0 

Qualified contributions in determining the credit are reduced by any distributions from an 

elective deferral plan or IRA during the current tax year, the two preceding tax years, and the 

following year up to the due date of the return, including extensions. 

Health Savings Accounts: Individuals who are covered by a qualifying high deductible health 

plan and not covered by any non-high deductible health plan other than certain permitted or 

disregarded coverage may contribute to an HSA that can be used to reimburse the individuals’ 

7
and their dependents’ health expenses. Employers may also make contributions to employees’ 

HSAs. The high deductible health plan may be provided by an employer or purchased in the 

individual insurance market. Individuals who are eligible for Medicare or to be claimed as a 

dependent on someone else’s return may not contribute to an HSA. Contributions to HSAs are 

deductible and qualified distributions are excluded from gross income. Nonqualified 

distributions are subject to income tax and, if taken prior to age 65, an additional 10 percent tax. 

Archer Medical Savings Accounts: Self-employed individuals and individuals employed by 

small employers maintaining a high deductible health plan (defined more restrictively than under 

the HSA provisions) are allowed to accumulate funds in an MSA on a tax-preferred basis to pay 

for medical expenses. An individual is eligible to establish an MSA only if the employee (or the 

employee’s spouse) is covered by a high-deductible health plan (and not covered by any nonhigh deductible health plan). Although individuals with MSAs can continue to contribute to 

them as long as they are with an MSA participating employer, no new MSAs are permitted after 

the end of 2007 except with respect to individuals being hired after 2007 by an MSAparticipating employer. Contributions to MSAs are deductible and qualified distributions are 

excluded from gross income. Nonqualified distributions are subject to income tax and, if taken 

prior to age 65, an additional 15 percent tax. 

Reasons for Change

The plethora of individual savings accounts, each subject to different rules regarding eligibility, 

contributions, tax treatment, and withdrawal, creates complexity and redundancy in the Code. 

Taxpayers must determine their eligibility for each account separately and then must decide 

which plan or plans are best for them given their circumstances. Furthermore, as their 

circumstances change over time, taxpayers must continually re-evaluate their eligibility for each 

plan and which best meets their needs. The current list of non-retirement exceptions within IRAs 

weakens the focus on retirement saving, and the IRA exceptions and special purpose savings 

vehicles place a burden on taxpayers to document that withdrawals are used for certain purposes 

that Congress has deemed qualified. In addition, the restrictions on withdrawals and additional 

tax on early distributions discourage many taxpayers from making contributions because they are 

concerned about the inability to access the funds should they need them. Consolidating the three 

types of IRAs under current law into one account dedicated solely to retirement, and creating a 

new account that could be used to save for any reason would simplify the taxpayer’s decisionmaking process while further encouraging savings. 

Saving is further simplified and encouraged by recent administrative changes to the tax filing 

process that allow taxpayers to direct that their tax refunds be directly deposited into more than 

one account. Consequently, under the proposal described below, taxpayers would be able to 

direct that a portion of their tax refunds be deposited into a Retirement Savings Account or 

Lifetime Savings Account. Simplifying the rules, making savings opportunities universally 

available, and making it easier for people to set money aside through direct deposit will 

complement the Administration’s commitment to programs focusing on financial education and, 

specifically, retirement planning. 

8
Proposal

The proposal would consolidate the three types of current law IRAs into a single account: a 

Retirement Savings Account (RSA). RSAs would be dedicated solely to retirement savings; 

other withdrawals would be subject to tax and penalty as described below. Instead of a list of 

exceptions for penalty-free early withdrawals, a new account, a Lifetime Savings Account (LSA) 

would be created that could be used to save for any purpose, including retirement savings, health 

care, emergencies, and education. 

 

Individuals could contribute up to $5,000 per year (or earnings includible in gross income, if 

less) to their RSA. A married couple filing a joint return could contribute up to $10,000 per year 

(or earning includible in gross income, if less). No income limits would apply to RSA 

contributions. Contributions would have to be in cash. Contributions would be nondeductible, 

but earnings would accumulate tax-free, and qualified distributions would be excluded from 

gross income. The RSA contribution limit would be indexed for inflation. 

Qualified distributions from the RSA would be distributions made after age 58 or in the event of 

death or disability. Any other distribution would be a nonqualified distribution and, as with 

current nonqualified distributions from Roth IRAs, would be includible in income (to the extent 

it exceeds basis) and subject to a 10 percent additional tax. Distributions would be deemed to 

come from basis first. As with current law Roth IRAs, no minimum required distribution rules 

would apply to RSAs during the account owner’s lifetime. Married individuals could roll 

amounts from their RSA over to their spouses’ RSA. 

Existing Roth IRAs would be renamed RSAs and be made subject to the new rules for RSAs. 

Existing traditional and nondeductible IRAs could be converted into an RSA by taking the 

conversion amount into gross income, similar to a current-law Roth conversion. However, no 

income limit would apply to the ability to convert. Taxpayers who convert IRAs to RSAs before 

January 1, 2010, could include the conversion amount in income ratably over 4 years. 

Conversions made on or after January 1, 2010, would be included in income in the year of the 

conversion. Existing traditional or nondeductible IRAs that are not converted to RSAs could not 

accept any new contributions. New traditional IRAs could be created to accommodate rollovers 

from employer plans, but they could not accept any new individual contributions. Individuals 

wishing to roll an amount directly from an employer plan to an RSA could do so by taking the 

rollover amount (excluding basis) into gross income (i.e., “converting” the rollover, similar to a 

current law Roth conversion). 

Amounts converted to an RSA from a traditional IRA or from an Employer Retirement Savings 

Account (ERSA, discussed in next section) would be subject to a 5-year holding period. 

Distributions attributable to a conversion from a traditional IRA or ERSA (other than amounts 

attributable to a Roth-type account in an ERSA) prior to the end of the 5-year period starting 

with the year the conversion was made or, if earlier, the date on which the individual turns 58, 

becomes disabled, or dies would be subject to an additional 10 percent early distribution tax on 

the entire amount. The 5-year period is separately determined for each conversion contribution. 

To determine the amount attributable to a conversion, a distribution is treated as made in the 

following order: regular contributions; conversion contributions (on a first-in-first-out basis); 

9
earnings. To the extent a distribution is treated as made for a conversion contribution, it is 

treated as made first from the portion, if any, that was required to be included in gross income 

because of the conversion. 

Individuals could contribute up to $2,000 per year to their LSA, regardless of wage income. No 

income limits would apply to LSA contributions. Contributions would have to be in cash. The 

time period for which the contribution limit applies is the calendar year. Contributions would be 

nondeductible, but earnings would accumulate tax-free, and all distributions would be excluded 

from gross income, regardless of the individual’s age or use of the distribution. As with current 

law Roth IRAs, no minimum required distribution rules would apply to LSAs during the account 

owner’s lifetime. 

Contribution limits would apply to all accounts held in an individual’s name, rather than to 

contributors. Thus, contributors could make annual contributions of up to $2,000 each to the 

accounts of other individuals, but the aggregate of all contributions to all accounts held in a 

given individual’s name could not exceed $2,000. The LSA contribution limit would be indexed 

for inflation. 

Control over an account in a minor’s name would be exercised exclusively for the benefit of the 

minor, until the minor reached the age of majority (determined under applicable State law), by 

the minor's parent or legal guardian acting in that capacity. Married individuals could roll 

amounts from their LSAs over to their spouses’ LSAs. 

Taxpayers would be able to convert balances in ESAs and QTPs to LSA balances. All 

conversions made before January 1, 2010, would be on a tax-free basis, subject to the following 

limitations. An amount can be rolled into an individual’s LSA from a QTP only if that 

individual was the beneficiary of the QTP or ESA as of December 31, 2007. The amount that 

can be rolled over to an LSA from an ESA is limited to the sum of the amount in the accounts as 

of December 31, 2007, plus any contributions to and earnings on the accounts in 2008. The 

amount that can be rolled over to any LSA from a QTP is limited to the sum of (i) the lesser of 

$50,000 or the amount in the QTP as of December 31, 2007, plus (ii) any contributions and 

earnings to the QTP during 2008. Total rollovers to an individual’s LSA attributable to 2008 

contributions from the individual’s ESAs and QTPs cannot exceed $2,000 (plus any earnings on 

those contributions). 

QTPs would continue to exist as separate types of accounts, but could be offered inside an LSA. 

For example, State agencies that administer QTPs could offer LSAs with the same investment 

options available under the QTP. The plan administrator would be freed from the additional 

reporting requirements of a QTP for investments in an LSA, but investors would be subject to 

the annual LSA contribution limit. Distributions for purposes other than education would not be 

subject to Federal income tax or penalties. However, States would be free to provide State tax 

incentives, and administrators would be free to provide investment incentives, for savings used 

for educational purposes. 

The Saver’s Credit would apply to contributions to an RSA but would not apply to contributions 

to an LSA. 

10
Both LSAs and RSAs would become effective beginning on January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 1,527 3,545 3,023 1,075 -1,314 7,856 -592 

11
CONSOLIDATE EMPLOYER-BASED SAVINGS ACCOUNTS 

Current Law

Qualified Retirement Plans: Under Code section 401, employers may establish for the benefit of 

employees a retirement plan that may qualify for tax benefits, including a tax deduction to the 

employer for contributions, a tax deferral to the employee for elective contributions and their 

earnings, and a tax exemption for the fund established to pay benefits. To qualify for tax 

benefits, the plan must satisfy multiple requirements. Among the requirements, the plan may not 

discriminate in favor of highly-compensated employees (HCEs) with regard either to coverage or 

to amount or availability of contributions or benefits. The following covers certain, but not all, 

of the defined-contribution plan rules. 

Contribution Limits. For 2008, the total annual contribution to a participant’s account may not 

exceed the lesser of $46,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) or 100 percent of compensation. 

General Nondiscrimination Requirement. Qualified plans, both defined-benefit and definedcontribution, must comply with the section 401(a)(4) prohibition on contributions or benefits that 

discriminate in favor of HCEs. Detailed regulations spell out the calculations required for 

satisfying this provision, including optional safe harbors and a general test for nondiscrimination. 

Contribution Tests. In addition to the general nondiscrimination requirement, definedcontribution plans that have after-tax contributions or matching contributions are subject to the 

actual contribution percentage (ACP) test. This test measures the contribution rate to HCEs’ 

accounts relative to the contribution rate to non-highly-compensated employees’ (NHCEs’) 

accounts. To satisfy the test, the ACP of HCEs generally cannot exceed the following limits: 

200 percent of the NHCEs’ ACP if the NHCEs’ ACP is 2 percent or less; 2 percentage points 

over the NHCEs’ ACP if the NHCEs’ ACP is between 2 percent and 8 percent; or 125 percent of 

the NHCEs’ ACP if the NHCEs’ ACP is 8 percent or more. 

Three “safe-harbor” designs are deemed to satisfy the ACP test automatically for employer 

matching contributions (up to 6 percent of compensation) that do not increase with an 

employee’s rate of contributions or elective deferrals. In the first, vested employer matching 

contributions on behalf of NHCEs are made equal to 100 percent of elective deferrals up to 3 

percent of compensation, and 50 percent of elective deferrals between 3 and 5 percent of 

compensation (or vested employer matching contributions follow an alternative matching 

formula such that the aggregate amount of matching contributions is no less than it would be 

under the basic design). In the second safe harbor, vested employer non-elective contributions of 

at least 3 percent of compensation are made on behalf of all eligible NHCEs. In the third 

design, the employer adopts an automatic contribution arrangement under which an employee is 

automatically enrolled at a specified contribution level unless the employee makes an affirmative 

election for another contribution level and the employer also makes specified contributions on 

behalf of the NHCEs. The specified contributions could be either matching contributions equal 

to 100 percent of elective deferrals up to 1 percent of compensation, and 50 percent of elective 

deferrals between 1 and 6 percent of compensation (or an alternative formula providing 

equivalent an level of matching contributions) or non-elective contributions that are at least 3 

12
percent of compensation. Under this third safe harbor, the employer contributions must be 

vested after completion of 2 years of service. 

Vesting. In general, employer contributions must vest at least as quickly as under one of the 

following schedules. Under graded vesting, 20 percent of the benefit is vested after three years 

of service and an additional 20 percent vests with each additional year of service, so that the 

employee is fully vested after seven years of service. Under cliff vesting, the employee has no 

vested interest until five years of service has been completed, but is then fully vested. However, 

matching contributions must vest more quickly: under graded vesting, the first 20 percent must 

vest after two years of service, so that the employee is fully vested after six years of service, and 

under cliff vesting, the employee becomes fully vested after three years of service. 

401(k) plans. Private employers may establish 401(k) plans, which allow participants to choose 

to take compensation in the form of cash or a contribution to a defined-contribution plan 

(“elective deferral”). In addition to the rules applying to qualified defined-contribution plans, 

401(k) plans are subject to additional requirements. 

Annual deferrals under a 401(k) plan may not exceed $15,500 in 2008. Participants aged 50 or 

over may make additional “catch-up” deferrals of up to $5,000. These contribution limits are 

indexed annually for inflation. Elective deferrals are immediately fully vested. 

401(k) plans are subject to an actual deferral percentage (ADP) test, which generally measures 

employees’ elective-deferral rates. In applying the ADP test, the same numerical limits are used 

as under the ACP test. Three 401(k)-plan “safe-harbor” designs (similar to the safe-harbor 

designs for the ACP test described above) are deemed to satisfy the ADP test automatically. 

SIMPLE 401(k) plans. Employers with 100 or fewer employees and no other retirement plan 

may establish SIMPLE 401(k) plans. Deferrals of SIMPLE participants may not exceed 

$10,500. SIMPLE participants aged 50 or over may make additional “catch-up” deferrals of up 

to $2,500. All contributions are immediately fully vested. In lieu of the ADP test, SIMPLE 

plans are subject to special contribution requirements, including a lower annual elective deferral 

limit and either a matching contribution not exceeding 3 percent of compensation or non-elective 

contribution of 2 percent of compensation. Employer contributions and employee deferrals may 

be made to SIMPLE IRAs under rules very similar to those applicable to SIMPLE 401(k) plans. 

Thrift plans. Employers may establish thrift plans under which participants may choose to make 

after-tax cash contributions. Such after-tax contributions, along with any matching contributions 

that an employer elects to make, are subject to the ACP test (without the availability of an ACP 

safe harbor). Employee contributions under a thrift plan are not subject to the $15,500 limit that 

applies to employee pre-tax deferrals. 

Roth-treatment of contributions. Effective after December 31, 2005, participants in 401(k) and 

403(b) plans can elect Roth treatment for their contributions. That is, contributions would not be 

excluded from income and distributions would not be included in income. Roth contributions 

must be accounted for in a separate account. There are no required minimum distributions 

13
during an employee’s lifetime, but heirs, other than a spouse, are subject to required minimum 

distributions. 

Salary reduction simplified employee pensions (SARSEPs). Employees can elect to have 

contributions made to a SARSEP or to receive the amount in cash. The amount the employee 

elects to have contributed to the SARSEP is not currently includible in income and is limited to 

the dollar limit applicable to employee deferrals in a 401(k) plan. SARSEPs are available only 

for employers who had 25 or fewer eligible employees at all times during the prior taxable year 

and are subject to a special nondiscrimination test. The rules permitting SARSEPs were repealed 

in 1996, but employee deferral contributions can still be made to SARSEPs that were established 

prior to January 1, 1997. 

403(b) plans: Section 501(c)(3) organizations and public schools may establish tax-sheltered 

annuity plans, also called 403(b) plans. The rules applicable to these plans are different in 

certain respects than rules applicable to qualified plans under section 401. Benefits may 

generally only be provided through the purchase of annuities or contributions to a custodial 

account invested in mutual funds. Contribution limits (including catch-ups), deferral limits, and 

minimum distribution rules are generally the same as for 401(k) plans. However, certain 

employees with 15 years of service may defer additional amounts according to a complicated 

three-part formula. Some 403(b) plans are subject to nondiscrimination rules. 

Governmental 457(b) plans: State and local governments may establish eligible plans under 

section 457(b).3

 In general, these plans are subject to different rules than qualified plans that are 

defined under section 401. Contributions and plan earnings are tax-deferred until withdrawal. 

Contributions may not exceed the lesser of 100 percent of compensation or $15,500 in 2008. 

However, participants may make additional contributions of up to twice the standard amount in 

the last three years before normal retirement age. Additional “catch-up” contributions of up to 

$5,000 may be made for participants age 50 or over. 

Reasons for Change

The rules covering employer retirement plans are among the lengthiest and most complicated 

sections of the Code and associated regulations. The extreme complexity imposes substantial 

compliance, administrative, and enforcement costs on employers, participants, and the 

government (and hence, taxpayers in general). Moreover, because employer sponsorship of a 

retirement plan is voluntary, the complexity discourages many employers from offering a plan at 

all. This is especially true of the small employers who together employ about two-fifths of 

American workers. Complexity is often cited as a reason the coverage rate under an employer 

retirement plan has not grown above about 50 percent overall, and has remained under 25 

percent among employees of small firms. Reducing unnecessary complexity in the employer 

plan area would save significant compliance costs and would encourage additional coverage and 

retirement saving. 

 

3

 Tax-exempt organizations are also permitted to establish eligible section 457(b) plans, but such plans are not 

funded arrangements and are generally limited to management or highly compensated employees. 

14
Proposal

The proposal would consolidate those types of defined-contribution accounts that permit 

employee deferrals or employee after-tax contributions, including 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), 

Thrift, 403(b), and governmental 457(b) plans, as well as SIMPLE IRAs and SARSEPs, into 

Employer Retirement Savings Accounts (ERSAs), which would be available to all employers 

and have simplified qualification requirements. 

The proposal would become effective for years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

ERSAs would follow the existing rules for 401(k) plans, subject to the plan qualification 

simplifications described below. Thus, employees could defer wages of up to $15,500 (as 

adjusted for inflation) annually, with employees aged 50 and older able to defer an additional 

$5,000 (as adjusted for inflation). The maximum total contribution (including employer 

contributions) to ERSAs would be the lesser of 100 percent of compensation or $46,000 (as 

adjusted for inflation). The taxability of contributions and distributions from an ERSA would be 

the same as contributions and distributions from the plans that the ERSA would be replacing. 

Thus, contributions could be pre-tax deferrals or after-tax employee contributions or Roth 

contributions, depending on the design of the plan. Distributions of Roth and non-Roth after-tax 

employee contributions and qualified distributions of earnings on Roth contributions would not 

be included in income. All other distributions would be included in the participants’ income. 

Existing 401(k) and Thrift plans would be renamed ERSAs and could continue to operate as 

before, subject to the simplification described below. Existing SIMPLE 401(k) plans, SIMPLE 

IRAs, SARSEPs, 403(b) plans, and governmental 457(b) plans could be renamed ERSAs and be 

subject to ERSA rules, or could continue to be held separately, but if held separately could not 

accept any new contributions after December 31, 2009, with a special transition for collectively 

bargained plans and plans sponsored by State and local governments. 

Special Rule for Small Employers. Employers that had 10 or fewer employees making at least 

$5,000 during the prior year would be able to fund an ERSA by contributing to a custodial 

account, similar to a current-law IRA, provided the employer’s contributions satisfy the designbased ERSA safe harbor described below. This custodial account would provide annual 

reporting relief for small employers as well as relief from most of the ERISA fiduciary rules 

under circumstances similar to the fiduciary relief currently provided to sponsors of SIMPLE 

IRAs.

ERSA Nondiscrimination Testing. The following single test would apply for satisfying the 

nondiscrimination requirements with respect to contributions for ERSAs: the average 

contribution percentage of HCEs could not exceed 200 percent of NHCEs’ percentage if the 

NHCEs’ average contribution percentage is 6 percent or less. In cases in which the NHCEs’ 

average contribution percentage exceeds 6 percent, the goal of increasing contributions among 

NHCEs would be deemed satisfied, and no nondiscrimination testing would apply. For this 

purpose, “contribution percentage” would be calculated for each employee as the sum of all 

employee and employer contributions divided by the employee’s compensation. The ACP and 

ADP tests would be repealed. Plans sponsored by State and local governments or churches 

15
would not be subject to this test. A plan sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization would not 

be subject to this nondiscrimination test (unless the plan permits after-tax or matching 

contributions) but would be required to permit all employees of the organization to participate. 

ERSA Safe Harbor. A design-based safe harbor would be sufficient to satisfy the 

nondiscrimination test for ERSAs described above. The design of the plan must be such that all 

eligible NHCEs are eligible to receive fully vested employer contributions (including matching 

or non-elective contributions, but not including employee elective deferrals or after-tax 

contributions) of at least 3 percent of compensation. To the extent that the employer 

contributions of 3 percent of compensation for NHCEs are matching contributions rather than 

non-elective contributions, the match formula must be one of two qualifying formulas. The first 

formula would be a 50 percent employer match for the elective contributions of the employee up 

to 6 percent of the employee’s compensation. The second would be any alternative formula such 

that the rate of an employer’s matching contribution does not increase as the rate of an 

employee’s elective contributions increases, and the aggregate amount of matching contributions 

at such rate of elective contribution is at least equal to the aggregate amount of matching 

contributions which would be made if matching contributions were made on the basis of the 

percentages described in the first formula. In addition, the rate of matching contribution with 

respect to an HCE at any rate of elective contribution cannot be greater than that with respect to 

an NHCE. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -80 -120 -132 -141 -150 -623 -1,484 

16
Encourage Entrepreneurship and Investment 

INCREASE EXPENSING FOR SMALL BUSINESS 

Current Law

Section 179 provides that, in place of capitalization and subsequent depreciation, certain 

taxpayers may elect to deduct up to $125,000 of the cost of qualifying property placed in service 

each taxable year. The $125,000 amount is reduced (but not below zero) by the amount by 

which the cost of qualifying property exceeds $500,000. Both limitations are indexed annually 

for inflation for taxable years beginning after 2007 and before 2011. (For taxable years 

beginning after December 31, 2010, the maximum deduction amount reverts to $25,000, and the 

phase-out of the deductible amount begins at $200,000, and neither amount will be indexed for 

inflation). Higher expensing amounts are allowed for investments in an empowerment zone or 

renewal community. 

In general, qualifying property is defined as depreciable tangible personal property and certain 

depreciable real property that is purchased for use in the active conduct of a trade or business. 

For taxable years beginning after 2002 and before 2011, off-the-shelf computer software is 

considered qualifying property even though it is intangible property. An election for the section 

179 deduction can be revoked on an amended return for taxable years beginning after 2002 and 

before 2011. In other years, elections can only be revoked with the consent of the 

Commissioner. 

Reasons for Change

The temporary expansion of section 179 provides a number of benefits to small business 

taxpayers and the economy. Expensing encourages investment by lowering the after-tax cost of 

capital purchases, relative to claiming regular depreciation deductions. Expensing is also simpler 

than claiming regular depreciation deductions, which is particularly helpful for small businesses. 

Including off-the-shelf computer software in section 179 means that purchased software is not 

disadvantaged relative to developed software (for which development costs can generally be 

expensed). Allowing revocations of section 179 elections to be made on amended returns helps 

less sophisticated taxpayers, who may not always be aware of the implications of section 179 

expensing when they file their initial tax return. Inflation-adjusting the specified dollar amounts 

ensures that the benefits of section 179 do not apply to an ever-shrinking share of business 

taxpayers. 

A further expansion of section 179 would extend the benefits of expensing to more taxpayers and 

would also simplify tax accounting for them. Making the expansion permanent would allow 

these businesses to improve their planning of future investments. 

Proposal

The proposal would expand the expensing provisions of section 179. Specifically, the proposal 

would increase the maximum amount of qualified property that a taxpayer may deduct under 

17
section 179 to $200,000, raise the amount of total qualifying investment at which the phase-out 

begins to $800,000 per year, and permanently include off-the-shelf computer software as 

qualifying property. Both the deduction limit and phase-out threshold would be indexed 

annually for inflation. In addition, the proposal would allow expensing elections to be made or 

revoked on amended returns. Furthermore, the Administration also proposes to make the higher 

amounts under section 179 permanent. 

The proposal would be effective for property placed in service in taxable years beginning on or 

after January 1, 2009. The $200,000 and $800,000 amounts would be indexed for inflation for 

any taxable year beginning in a calendar year after 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -1,086 -1,495 -1,083 -851 -688 -5,203 -7,578 

18
Invest in Health Care 

PROVIDE A NEW STANDARD DEDUCTION FOR HEALTH INSURANCE (SDHI) 

($15,000 FOR FAMILY COVERAGE AND $7,500 FOR SINGLE COVERAGE) 

Current Law

The cost of health coverage paid by an employer on behalf of employees is excludible for 

income and employment tax purposes. The employee’s portion of the cost of employersponsored coverage is also excludible for income and employment tax purposes if it is paid 

through a cafeteria plan. Out-of-pocket expenses can also be excluded from income and 

employment taxes if they are paid through a health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) under a 

cafeteria plan. 

Taxpayers’ health insurance premiums paid outside of the employment context (or paid outside 

of a cafeteria plan) as well as other medical expenses generally are not deductible except by 

taxpayers who itemize their deductions and only to the extent they exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted 

gross income. Medical expenses and insurance premiums paid outside of the employment 

context are never excludible for employment tax purposes. 

Medical costs paid through a health savings account (HSA) or Archer medical savings account 

(MSA) are generally excludible for income tax purposes, although the ability to pay health 

insurance premiums through an HSA is limited. 

Premiums for health insurance paid by self-employed individuals who are not eligible for 

subsidized employer coverage are deductible in computing adjusted gross income. 

Reasons for Change

There are a number of ways the current exclusion for employer-based health coverage 

encourages employers to provide more coverage than necessary and has resulted in higher and 

less efficient health spending. The value of the current exclusion increases with the amount of 

insurance an employee purchases. This creates a tax bias in favor of more expensive insurance. 

Such insurance often has low deductibles or first dollar coverage, which reduces consumers’ 

sensitivity to the cost of health insurance because they are not exposed to the true cost of health 

care. As a result, workers tend to channel more of their routine health expenses through their 

employer-based insurance. 

Workers who do not receive insurance through their employer but who purchase health insurance 

directly typically receive no tax benefit for buying health insurance. They pay for insurance after 

paying income and payroll taxes on their wages. In contrast, the health insurance premiums for 

workers who receive insurance through their jobs are subject to neither income nor payroll taxes. 

This disparate tax treatment can increase the after-tax cost of insurance purchased directly by 

individuals by as much as 50 percent. The after-tax cost of purchasing insurance is also higher 

for the self-employed who receive an income tax deduction, but no deduction for payroll tax 

purposes. 

19
Many people are uninsured because their employers do not offer health benefits. These people 

are generally not eligible for tax subsidized health insurance. One way of eliminating the tax 

bias towards more expensive coverage and eliminating the disparate tax treatment between 

workers who receive insurance through their employers and those who purchase insurance 

elsewhere, or who remain uninsured, would be to replace the current law exclusion for employerprovided health insurance with a standard deduction for health insurance as proposed below. 

Alternatively the current tax preference could be replaced with a refundable flat credit. 

Proposal

A standard deduction for health insurance (SDHI) of $15,000 for family coverage ($7,500 for 

single coverage) would be provided to all families who purchase health insurance that meets 

minimum requirements, whether directly or through an employer. 

One-twelfth of the full SDHI would apply for each month that an individual has qualifying 

coverage (determined on the first of the month), regardless of how much a family or individual 

spends on health insurance. A family or individual that spends less on health insurance than the 

full SDHI would still receive the full SDHI. The SDHI would apply for purposes of both the 

income and payroll taxes. 

The new SDHI would replace the existing exclusion for employer-based health insurance, the 

self-employed premium deduction, and the medical itemized deduction. The SDHI would not be 

available for an individual enrolled in Medicare, except that those who are enrolled in Medicare 

but are receiving health coverage from an employer as an active employee would be eligible for 

the SDHI beginning on January 1, 2014. The current deduction or exclusion from income of 

health care spending, whether for insurance premiums or out-of-pocket expenses, except under 

an HSA, would be repealed. Itemized medical deductions would be available only for taxpayers 

enrolled in Medicare. However, beginning on January 1, 2014, eligibility for the itemized 

deduction would be broadened somewhat to include anyone not otherwise eligible for the SDHI. 

The value of employer-provided health insurance coverage would be subject to withholding and 

employment taxes. Employers would exclude a pro-rated portion of the SDHI for purposes of 

the employee portion of employment taxes prior to 2013 and for the employee and employer 

portion of employment taxes after 2012 for their employees who have qualifying coverage. Prior 

to 2013, employees would be entitled to a return of the employer portion of employment taxes 

paid on the SDHI when they file their tax return after the end of the year. Withholding and 

estimated taxes could be adjusted to reflect the SDHI. Businesses would continue to deduct 

employer-based health insurance as a business expense. In addition, the phase-out rate for the 

earned income tax credit (EITC) for taxpayers with qualifying children would be reduced to 15 

percent. 

 

Insurance coverage that qualifies a taxpayer for the SDHI, must meet certain minimum coverage 

requirements, including: 

20
• A limit on out-of-pocket costs to the individual for covered expenses that is not higher 

than that currently allowable for HSAs (e.g., for 2008, those limits would be $5,600 for 

single coverage and $11,200 for family coverage). 

• A reasonable annual and/or lifetime benefit maximum. 

• Coverage for inpatient and outpatient care, emergency benefits, and physician care. 

• Guaranteed renewability by the provider. 

This minimum level of coverage is not intended to pre-empt State laws mandating certain 

coverage. Thus, eligible coverage would be subject to applicable State minimum coverage rules. 

Under regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department, the SDHI would be denied for 

coverage under policies that do not meaningfully limit individual economic exposure to 

extraordinary medical expenses. Long-term care insurance and Medicare would not qualify for 

the SDHI. 

Generally, individuals (including dependents) enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or the State 

Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) would not qualify for the SDHI. Individuals 

would not be eligible to claim the SDHI if they claim the health coverage tax credit (available for 

certain individuals receiving trade readjustment assistance or a retirement benefit from the 

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation) or use tax-preferred distributions from HSAs or MSAs to 

pay for premiums. An individual who can be claimed as a dependent on another filer’s return 

would not be eligible to claim the SDHI. 

The new SDHI would address the rising cost of health insurance by removing the tax bias for 

more expensive insurance, while also providing a potent incentive for the uninsured to purchase 

insurance. The proposal would break the link between the value of the tax subsidy and the 

amount of insurance a worker purchases. The proposal also would level the playing field 

between less expensive and more expensive health insurance, and between wages and employerprovided health insurance. 

Individuals and families would have a strong incentive to purchase insurance under the proposal. 

However, the insurance they choose to purchase would be based on their needs and 

circumstances rather than the tax bias in favor of health insurance and against wages. The tax 

bias for overly generous insurance would be eliminated. This change would translate into 

greater price sensitivity for health care consumers. Many of those with employer-based 

insurance would take advantage of the level playing field between wages and health insurance by 

receiving higher wages in exchange for less expensive health insurance. 

Treasury estimates that about 8 million more people would have health insurance under the 

proposal. 

The provision would be effective for tax years after December 31, 2008. 

21
Revenue Estimate4

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -23,188 -32,100 -25,853 -17,946 -6,581 -105,668 32,533 

 

4

 The estimate includes both receipt and outlay effects. The outlay effect is $8,518 million for 2009-2018. 

22
EXPAND AND MAKE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (HSAs) MORE FLEXIBLE 

Current Law

Eligible individuals are allowed to accumulate funds in a Health Savings Account (HSA) on a 

tax-preferred basis to pay for medical expenses and retiree health coverage. 

Eligibility: In order to contribute to an HSA, an individual must be covered by a high-deductible 

health plan (HDHP) and generally no other health plan except for certain permitted or 

disregarded coverage. Individuals who can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return 

or who are enrolled in Medicare may not contribute to an HSA. An HSA may only be 

established on or after the first day of the first month that an individual is an eligible individual 

with HDHP coverage on the first day. 

Tax Treatment of Contributions and Earnings: Employer contributions to HSAs are excluded 

from employee income for income and employment tax purposes. Individual contributions to 

HSAs are deductible in computing the individual’s adjusted gross income (AGI), but are not 

deductible from payroll taxes. Earnings in an HSA accumulate tax-free. 

Tax Treatment of Distributions: Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses of the HSA owner, 

the owner’s spouse or dependent are not taxable. Qualified medical expenses are generally 

medical expenses as defined for the itemized medical expense deduction, with the addition of 

nonprescription drugs. However, qualified medical expenses do not include payments for 

insurance except in certain limited situations – a health plan during any period of continuation 

coverage under COBRA or other Federal law; qualified long-term care insurance, a health plan 

while an individual is receiving unemployment compensation under Federal or State law, or 

individuals who have reached age 65 (other than Medicare supplemental policies). Thus, most 

purchases of insurance with HSA funds are included in income and subject to the 10 percent tax 

on non-medical withdrawals to the extent applicable. There is no limit on the time for 

reimbursing qualified medical expenses that are incurred after the HSA is established. 

Nonmedical withdrawals are subject to an additional 10 percent tax if made before age 65 and 

are includable in income regardless of age. Reimbursements of qualified medical expenses that 

are excluded from income only include medical expenses incurred after the HSA is established. 

Consequently, where HDHP coverage begins after the first day of the month, any expenses 

incurred prior to the first day of the next month may not be reimbursed by the HSA on a taxfavored basis. 

HDHPs: In order to be an HDHP, a plan in 2008 must have a deductible of at least $1,100 for 

self-only coverage or $2,200 for family coverage. An HDHP in 2008 may not have a total outof-pocket exposure of more than $5,600 for self-only coverage or $11,200 for family coverage. 

The deductible minimums and out-of-pocket maximums are indexed for inflation. The out-ofpocket amount includes the deductible as well as copays and other amounts a covered individual 

must pay for covered benefits. For network plans, the out-of-pocket requirement only includes 

the out-of-pocket amounts for benefits provided in network. Out-of-pocket expenses do not 

include amounts paid by covered individuals for benefits excluded by reasonable benefit 

restrictions or exclusions. 

23
Contribution Limits: Annual contributions to HSAs are limited to $2,900 (for self-only coverage 

in 2008) or $5,800 (for family coverage in 2008). Maximum contributions are based on the sum 

of monthly limits, with contributions pro rated for individuals who are not eligible individuals 

for the entire year. Under certain circumstances, such as the initial year of HDHP coverage, an 

individual will be entitled to an entire year’s contribution limit for less than a full year’s HDHP 

coverage, subject to a recapture of some of that contribution (plus an additional 10 percent tax on 

the recaptured amount) if the individual does not remain in an HDHP for the 12-month period 

following the end of that year. 

A special rule applies for determining HSA contributions by married individuals with family 

HDHP coverage. If one spouse has family coverage, both spouses are generally treated as 

having family coverage. The maximum annual family HSA contribution is divided between the 

spouses equally unless they agree on a different division, which can include allocating the entire 

contribution to one spouse. For this purpose, family coverage is defined as anything that is not 

self-only coverage; thus, family HDHP coverage (supporting a family-level contribution) is 

health coverage that covers one eligible individual and at least one other individual, regardless of 

the other individual’s coverage. A married individual with individual HDHP coverage may not 

make contributions to his or her spouse’s HSA based on the married individual’s self-only 

HDHP coverage. 

In addition to the annual contribution, individuals who attain age 55 during the year are allowed 

to make an additional catch-up contribution. The catch up amount is $900 in year 2008 and 

$1000 for years after 2008. Catch-up contributions are pro rated for the number of months that 

the HSA owner is an eligible individual. If both spouses qualify for the catch-up contribution, 

both spouses are allowed the additional HSA contribution amount. However, one spouse is not 

permitted to have his or her catch-up contribution made to the HSA owned by the other spouse. 

Employer Contributions: Employer contributions to HSAs are subject to comparability rules that 

generally require that if the employer contributes to one employee’s HSA, the employer must 

contribute the same amount or percentage of the HDHP deductible to all employees who are 

eligible individuals with comparable (i.e., self-only or family) coverage. The comparability rules 

do not apply to contributions made through a cafeteria plan. 

HRAs and FSAs: Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and flexible spending 

arrangements (FSAs) are employer-sponsored plans which allow employers to reimburse 

substantiated employee medical expenses up to a maximum amount. Unlike an FSA, unused 

HRA amounts may be used in later years and HRAs may not be funded by salary reduction. 

HRAs and FSAs are employer-provided health coverage that disqualify individuals from 

contributing to HSAs unless the HRA or FSA is designed to be compatible with HSA, such as 

being limited to reimbursing certain permitted or disregarded coverage and preventive care 

(limited purpose HRAs or FSAs), reimbursing expenses after the deductible of the HDHP is 

satisfied (post-deductible HRAs or FSAs), or combinations. The disqualification from HSA 

contributions applies regardless of whether the HRA or FSA coverage is provided by the 

employer of the individual or spouse of the individual. 

24
Reasons for Change

Health care costs continue to rise rapidly in the United States. Empowering health care 

consumers to play a more direct role in their health care decisions, rather than third party payers, 

would help to stem this trend. A health care system that is more market-oriented and consumer 

driven will help control costs and result in health care that is more affordable and accessible. 

This goal can be facilitated by making HSAs more flexible and increasing the incentive for 

individuals to change to HSA-eligible coverage. 

Proposal

1. Plans with 50-percent coinsurance would qualify as HDHPs. Health plans would be 

considered HSA-eligible if they meet all the existing requirements of an HDHP except 

that, in lieu of satisfying the minimum deductible requirement, they have at least a 50 

percent or higher coinsurance requirement and a minimum out-of-pocket exposure that, 

under guidelines established by the Secretary, would result in the same (or lower) 

premium as coverage under a high deductible health plan under the current requirements 

for the same family or individual. 

2. For HSA purposes, include as qualified medical expenses any medical expense incurred 

on or after the first day of HSA eligibility in a year. The existing rule that denies tax-free 

treatment for HSA funds used to pay medical expenses incurred prior to the 

establishment of the HSA would be changed so that HSA funds could be used to pay 

medical expenses incurred on or after the first day of eligibility in a particular year, as 

long as the HSA is established no later than the date for filing the return for that taxable 

year. This will provide more time for newly eligible taxpayers to set up their HSAs. 

3. Allow larger contributions from employers for the chronically ill. Contributions to HSAs 

on behalf of employees who are chronically ill or employees who have spouses or 

dependents who are chronically ill would be excluded from the comparability rules to the 

extent the contributions exceed the comparable contributions for other employees. 

4. Allow family coverage to include coverage where each individual in the family can 

receive benefits once they have reached the minimum deductible for an individual 

HDHP. Many types of family coverage provide for an overall deductible that meets the 

requirements for family HDHP coverage, but include embedded deductibles for each 

family member below the minimum family deductible. Under current law this does not 

constitute an HDHP. Under the proposal, such coverage would constitute a family 

HDHP if each individual embedded deductible is at least the minimum deductible for 

individual HDHP coverage and the overall deductible is at least the minimum deductible 

for family HDHP coverage. 

5. If both spouses are eligible individuals, allow both spouses to contribute the catch-up 

contribution to a single HSA owned by one spouse. 

25
6. Allow contributions to HSAs to be made by individuals covered by an FSA or HRA, but 

offset the maximum allowable HSA contribution by the level of FSA or HRA coverage. 

Currently, FSA or HRA participation generally disqualifies individuals from contribution 

to HSAs because of the first dollar nature of FSAs and HRAs. This proposal would make 

it much easier for individuals who change from a non-HDHP to an HDHP when they 

have HRA or FSA coverage. 

All of the changes described above would apply for tax years beginning after December 31, 

2008. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

High coinsurance policies eligible for HSAs 

0 -352 -663 -804 -895 -975 -3,689 -10,015 

Other HSA enhancements 

0 -68 -116 -127 -136 -148 -595 -1,496 

Total 

0 -420 -779 -931 -1,031 -1,123 -4,284 -11,511 

26
ALLOW THE ORPHAN DRUG TAX CREDIT FOR CERTAIN PRE-DESIGNATION 

EXPENSES 

Current Law

Taxpayers may claim a 50-percent credit for expenses related to human clinical testing of drugs 

for the treatment of certain rare diseases and conditions, generally those that afflict less than 

200,000 persons in the United States (orphan drug credit). Qualifying expenses are those paid or 

incurred by the taxpayer after the date on which the drug is designated as a potential treatment 

for a rare disease or disorder by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in accordance with 

section 526 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Research expenses claimed for the 

orphan drug credit are not eligible for the credit for increasing research under section 41 of the 

Code. 

Reasons for Change

Currently, expenditures for human clinical trials are eligible for the credit only after the FDA 

designates the drug as a potential treatment for a rare disease or condition. Expenses for clinical 

trials that the taxpayer undertakes while the FDA reviews the taxpayer’s application for 

designation are ineligible. This creates an incentive to defer clinical testing for orphan drugs 

until the taxpayer receives the FDA’s approval and creates complexity for taxpayers by treating 

pre-designation and post-designation clinical expenses differently. The proposal would reduce 

the incentive to defer clinical testing while the FDA reviews the taxpayer’s application for 

designation of a drug as an orphan drug and simplify the credit by treating pre-designation 

expenses and post-designation expenses equally. 

Proposal

Taxpayers that incur expenses prior to FDA designation would be permitted to claim the orphan 

drug credit for these expenses if the drug receives FDA designation as a potential treatment for a 

rare disease or condition before the due date (including extensions) for filing the tax return for 

the year in which the FDA application was filed. 

The proposal would be effective for qualified expenses incurred after December 31, 2007. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

27
Provide Incentives for Charitable Giving 

PERMANENTLY EXTEND TAX-FREE WITHDRAWALS FROM IRAS FOR 

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS 

Current Law

Eligible individuals may make deductible contributions to a traditional individual retirement 

arrangement (traditional IRA). Other individuals with taxable income may make nondeductible 

contributions to a traditional IRA. Earnings and pre-tax contributions in a traditional IRA are 

includible in income when withdrawn. Withdrawals made before age 591⁄2 are subject to an 

additional 10-percent excise tax, unless an exception applies. 

Individuals with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) below certain levels may make nondeductible 

contributions to a Roth IRA. Amounts withdrawn from a Roth IRA as a qualified distribution 

are not includible in income. A qualified distribution is a distribution made (1) after 5 years and 

(2) after the holder has attained age 591⁄2, died, or become disabled, or for first-time homebuyer 

expenses of up to $10,000. Distributions from a Roth IRA that are not qualified distributions are 

includible in income to the extent the distributions are attributable to earnings, and are also 

subject to an additional 10-percent excise tax, unless an exception applies. 

Individual taxpayers who itemize their deductions may claim a deduction for contributions made 

to qualified charitable organizations. Total deductible contributions may not exceed 50 percent 

of the taxpayer’s AGI, and lower deductibility limits apply in the case of contributions of 

appreciated property and contributions to certain private foundations. Excess amounts may be 

carried forward and deducted in future years. In addition, the total of most categories of itemized 

deductions, including charitable contributions, is reduced by 1 percent of AGI in excess of a 

certain threshold ($159,950 for joint filers in 2008 up to a maximum reduction of 26 and 2/3 

percent of total deductions). Taxpayers who elect the standard deduction (“non-itemizers”) may 

not claim a deduction for charitable contributions. 

Individuals may exclude from gross income (and thus from AGI for all purposes under the Code) 

distributions made after age 701⁄2 from a traditional or Roth IRA (but not a SIMPLE IRA or SEP 

IRA) directly to a qualified charitable organization. The exclusion may not exceed $100,000 per 

taxpayer per taxable year and is available without regard to the percentage-of-AGI limits that 

apply to deductible contributions. 

The exclusion does not apply to distributions to certain private foundations, supporting 

organizations, or donor advised funds. The exclusion applies only if a charitable contribution 

deduction for the entire distribution would otherwise be allowed under current law, determined 

without regard to the percentage-of-AGI limitation. No charitable deduction is allowed with 

respect to any amount that is excludable from income under this provision. If an amount 

transferred from the IRA would otherwise be nontaxable, such as a qualified distribution from a 

Roth IRA or the return of nondeductible contributions from a traditional IRA, the normal 

charitable contribution deduction rules apply. This exclusion is scheduled to expire on 

December 31, 2007. 

28
Reasons for Change

Allowing taxpayers who are at the stage in their life when they are already required to take 

distributions from their IRAs to exclude from income direct transfers to qualified charities will 

stimulate additional charitable giving by simplifying the required tax calculations and 

eliminating the current-law tax disincentives. Permanency will maintain this incentive. 

Proposal

The exclusion from income of qualified distributions made after age 701⁄2 from a traditional or 

Roth IRA directly to a qualified charitable organization would be made permanent. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -300 -551 -434 -284 -211 -1,780 -3,321 

29
PERMANENTLY EXTEND THE ENHANCED CHARITABLE DEDUCTION FOR 

CONTRIBUTIONS OF FOOD INVENTORY 

Current Law

A taxpayer’s deduction for charitable contributions of inventory property generally is limited to 

the taxpayer’s basis (typically, cost) in the inventory. However, for certain contributions of 

inventory, C corporations may claim an enhanced deduction equal to the lesser of (1) the 

taxpayer’s basis in the contributed property, plus one-half of the gain that would have been 

realized had the property been sold or (2) two times basis. To be eligible for the enhanced 

deduction, the inventory must be contributed to a charitable organization (other than a private 

nonoperating foundation), and the donee must (1) use the property consistent with the donee’s 

exempt purpose solely for the care of the ill, the needy, or infants, (2) not transfer the property in 

exchange for money, other property, or services, and (3) provide the taxpayer a written statement 

that the donee’s use of the property will be consistent with these requirements. To claim the 

enhanced deduction, the taxpayer must establish that the fair market value of the donated item 

exceeds basis. 

Through December 31, 2007, all businesses, and not just C corporations, are eligible for the 

enhanced deduction for donations of food inventory. For all businesses, the enhanced deduction 

is available only for donations of “apparently wholesome food” (food intended for human 

consumption that meets all quality and labeling standards imposed by Federal, State, and local 

laws and regulations, even though the food may not be readily marketable due to appearance, 

age, freshness, grade, size, surplus, or other conditions). In the case of a taxpayer other than a C 

corporation, the total deduction for donated food inventory for any taxable year may not exceed 

10 percent of the taxpayer’s net income from the related trade or business. Eligibility for the 

enhanced deduction by businesses other than C corporations is scheduled to expire on December 

31, 2007. 

Reasons for Change

The enhanced deduction for contributions of food inventory increases donations of food by all 

types of businesses. Permanent extension of this provision supports charities working to combat 

hunger. 

Proposal

The proposal would make permanent the expansion of the enhanced deduction for donations of 

food inventory to all types of businesses and the clarification of the definition of eligible food. 

30
Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-44 -96 -106 -116 -127 -140 -585 -1,524 

31
PERMANENTLY EXTEND THE ENHANCED DEDUCTION FOR CORPORATE 

CONTRIBUTIONS OF COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES 

Current Law

A taxpayer’s deduction for charitable contributions of inventory property generally is limited to 

the taxpayer’s basis (typically, cost) in the inventory property. The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 

provided an enhanced deduction for a three-year period for charitable contributions by C 

corporations of computer technology or equipment to elementary and secondary schools and 

charities formed for the purpose of supporting elementary and secondary education. In 2000, 

this provision was extended for an additional three-year period and expanded to apply to 

charitable contributions of computer technology or equipment to post-secondary educational 

institutions and public libraries. It was extended again in 2004. In 2006, this provision was 

extended for an additional two-year period. In addition, the definition of property eligible for the 

enhanced deduction was expanded to include property assembled by the taxpayer. 

For contributions made in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, the amount of the 

deduction is equal to the lesser of (1) the taxpayer’s basis in the contributed property, plus onehalf of the gain that would have been realized had the property been sold, or (2) two times basis. 

To qualify for the enhanced deduction, the contribution must satisfy various requirements. This 

provision does not apply to contributions made in taxable years beginning after December 31, 

2007. 

Reasons for Change

This provision provides an incentive for C corporations to contribute computer equipment and 

software for the benefit of local communities and students at the elementary, secondary, and 

post-secondary school levels, by providing public libraries and educational institutions with 

needed technology resources. Because the need for technology resources is ongoing, this 

provision should be made permanent. 

Proposal

The enhanced deduction for C corporation donations of computer equipment would be made 

permanent. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-50 -118 -147 -154 -162 -170 -751 -1,838 

32
PERMANENTLY EXTEND INCREASED LIMITS ON CONTRIBUTIONS OF 

PARTIAL INTERESTS IN REAL PROPERTY FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES 

Current Law

In general, a deduction is permitted for charitable contributions, subject to certain limitations that 

depend on the type of taxpayer, the property contributed, and the donee organization. The 

amount of the deduction generally equals the fair market value of the contributed property on the 

date of the contribution. 

Corporations generally are allowed to deduct charitable contributions up to a limit of 10 percent 

of taxable income (computed without regard to net operating or capital loss carrybacks). 

Individual taxpayers who itemize their deductions may claim a deduction for charitable 

contributions up to a percentage of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (AGI) (computed 

without regard to any net operating loss carryback). The percentage limit for individuals varies 

depending on the type of donee organization and the type of property contributed. In general, the 

deduction for charitable contributions may not exceed 50 percent of AGI. However, lower 

percentage limits apply to contributions of capital gain property and contributions to certain 

private foundations. For example, the deduction for contributions of capital gain property to 

public charities, private operating foundations, and certain non-operating foundations generally 

may not exceed 30 percent of AGI. In general, in the case of both individuals and corporations, 

charitable contributions in excess of the percentage limits may be carried forward for up to five 

years. 

Gifts of partial interests in property generally are not deductible as charitable contributions. 

However, to encourage donations for conservation purposes, the tax law provides an exception to 

the “partial interest” rule for qualified conservation contributions. A qualified conservation 

contribution is a contribution of a qualified real property interest (such as a remainder interest or 

a restriction (granted in perpetuity) on the use that may be made of the real property) to a 

qualified organization exclusively for conservation purposes. Qualified conservation 

contributions generally are subject to the same limitations and carryover rules as apply to other 

charitable contributions of capital gain property. 

Through December 31, 2007, special percentage limits and carryover rules apply to contributions 

of partial interests in real property for conservation purposes. For contributions made prior to 

January 1, 2008, an individual taxpayer may deduct the fair market value of any qualified 

conservation contributions up to a limit equal to the excess of (i) 50 percent of AGI over (ii) the 

amount of all other allowable charitable contributions (determined under the general rules 

described above, but not taking into account the qualified conservation contributions). In the 

case of a qualified farmer or rancher, the limit is 100 percent of the excess of the individual 

taxpayer’s AGI (or 100 percent of the corporation’s taxable income) over the amount of all other 

allowable charitable contributions. In addition, for both individuals and corporations, the 

number of years that qualified conservation contributions in excess of these limits may be carried 

forward is increased to 15 years from 5 years. 

33
Reasons for Change

Increasing the limits on the allowable deduction for qualified conservation contributions will 

stimulate charitable giving for conservation purposes by increasing the incentives to donors. 

Permanency will maintain the incentives. 

Proposal

The increased limits on the deduction for qualified conservation contributions would be made 

permanent. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-48 -35 -22 -18 -21 -22 -118 -245 

34
PERMANENTLY EXTEND THE BASIS ADJUSTMENT TO STOCK OF S 

CORPORATIONS CONTRIBUTING APPRECIATED PROPERTY 

Current Law

If an S corporation contributes money or other property to a charity, each shareholder takes into 

account the shareholder’s pro rata share of the contribution in determining the shareholder’s 

income tax liability. Prior to the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), a 

shareholder of an S corporation reduced the basis in the stock or indebtedness of the S 

corporation by the amount of the charitable contribution that flowed through to the shareholder. 

In many cases, a shareholder’s basis in S corporation stock reflects the basis of the contributed 

property, whereas the charitable contribution deduction reflects the fair market value of the 

contributed property. As a result, pre-PPA law deprived some S corporation shareholders of the 

full benefit of the charitable contribution deduction. 

Reasons for Change

PPA modified the rules for adjusting the basis of S corporation stock to preserve the benefit of 

providing a charitable contribution deduction for contributions of appreciated property by an S 

corporation. S corporation shareholders are allowed to adjust their basis in the stock by their pro 

rata share of the adjusted basis (not fair market value) of the contributed property. The provision 

applies only to charitable contributions made by an S corporation in taxable years beginning 

before January 1, 2008. 

Proposal

The proposal would permanently extend the rule allowing S corporation shareholders to adjust 

their stock basis for a charitable contribution deduction by their pro rata share of the adjusted 

basis of contributed property. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-3 -15 -21 -25 -28 -32 -121 -354 

35
REFORM EXCISE TAX BASED ON INVESTMENT INCOME OF PRIVATE 

FOUNDATIONS 

Current Law

Private foundations that are exempt from Federal income tax generally are subject to a twopercent excise tax on their net investment income. The excise tax rate is reduced to one percent 

in any year in which the foundation’s distributions for charitable purposes exceed the average 

level of the foundation’s charitable distributions over the five preceding taxable years (with 

certain adjustments). Private foundations that are not exempt from Federal income tax, including 

certain charitable trusts, must pay an excise tax equal to the excess (if any) of the sum of the 

excise tax on net investment income and the amount of the unrelated business income tax that 

would have been imposed if the foundation were tax exempt, over the income tax imposed on the 

foundation. Under current law, private nonoperating foundations generally are required to make 

annual distributions for charitable purposes equal to at least five percent of the fair market value 

of the foundation’s noncharitable use assets (with certain adjustments). The amount that a 

foundation is required to distribute annually for charitable purposes is reduced by the amount of 

the excise tax paid by the foundation. 

Reasons for Change

The current “two-tier” structure of the excise tax on private foundation net investment income 

may discourage foundations from significantly increasing their distributions for charitable 

purposes in any particular year. Under the current formula, any increase in the foundation’s 

percentage payout in a given year (by increasing the average percentage payout) makes it more 

difficult for the foundation to qualify for the reduced one percent excise tax rate in subsequent 

years. Eliminating the “two-tier” structure of this excise tax would ensure that private 

foundations do not suffer adverse excise tax consequences if they increase their grant-making in 

a particular year to respond to charitable needs. Such a change would also simplify tax planning 

and the calculation of the excise tax for private foundations. In addition, lowering the excise tax 

rate for all foundations would make additional funds available for charitable purposes. 

Proposal

This proposal would replace the two rates of tax on private foundations that are exempt from 

Federal income tax with a single tax rate of one percent. The tax on private foundations not 

exempt from Federal income tax would be equal to the excess (if any) of the sum of the onepercent excise tax on net investment income and the amount of the unrelated business income tax 

that would have been imposed if the foundation were tax exempt, over the income tax imposed 

on the foundation. The special reduced excise tax rate available to tax-exempt private 

foundations that maintain their historic level of charitable distributions would be repealed. 

The proposal would be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

36
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-105 -152 -152 -153 -154 -155 -766 -1,578 

37
 Strengthen Education 

PERMANENTLY EXTEND THE ABOVE-THE-LINE DEDUCTION FOR QUALIFIED 

OUT-OF-POCKET CLASSROOM EXPENSES 

Current Law 

Individual taxpayers who itemize their deductions may claim a deduction for unreimbursed, jobrelated expenses to the extent those expenses and other miscellaneous deductions exceed 2 

percent of adjusted gross income. Such deductions may not be allowed for purposes of the 

alternative minimum tax. 

Taxpayers who are K-12 teachers and certain other school personnel in a school for at least 900 

hours during a school year may deduct, whether or not they itemize, up to $250 paid or incurred 

in connection with books, supplies, computer equipment and other equipment and supplemental 

materials used in the classroom. This provision expired on December 31, 2007. 

Reasons for Change

Teachers and other school personnel often incur expenses related to classroom activities that are 

not reimbursed. These expenditures enhance the quality of education received by students but 

diminish a teacher’s properly measured ability to pay taxes. Allowing school personnel to 

deduct such expenditures on their Federal income tax return encourages dedicated personnel who 

supplement available school resources at their own expense. 

Proposal 

The above-the-line deduction for qualified out of pocket classroom expenses for teachers and 

certain other school personnel would be made permanent. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-18 -180 -183 -185 -188 -191 -927 -1,927 

38
ALLOW THE SAVER’S CREDIT FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO QUALIFIED TUITION 

PROGRAMS 

Current Law

Under current law, taxpayers may receive a nonrefundable credit – the Saver’s Credit – on up to 

$2,000 contributed to elective deferral plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs). An 

eligible taxpayer must be at least 18 years old, must not be eligible to be claimed as a dependent 

by another taxpayer, and must not be a full-time student. Taxpayers must have compensation to 

be eligible to contribute to an elective deferral plan or IRA. 

The credit is nonrefundable and is equal to a percentage of the amount contributed to elective 

deferral plans or IRAs. The applicable percentage is based on AGI (adjusted for inflation) and 

filing status and is determined according to the following table for 2008: 

Adjusted Gross Income 

Joint Return Head of a Household All other cases 

Over Not Over Over Not Over Over Not 

Over 

Applicable 

percentage 

$32,000 $24,000 $16,000 50 

$32,000 $34,500 $24,000 $25,875 $16,000 $17,250 20 

$34,500 $53,000 $25,875 $39,750 $17,250 $26,500 10 

$53,000 $39,750 $26,500 0 

Qualified contributions in determining the credit are reduced by any distributions from an 

elective deferral plan or IRA during the current tax year, the two preceding tax years, and the 

following year up to the due date of the return including extensions. 

Taxpayers may contribute to a Section 529 Qualified Tuition Program (QTP) to save for higher 

education expenses of a designated beneficiary. Contributions to a QTP are not deductible from 

income for Federal tax purposes, but earnings on contributions accumulate tax-free. Taxpayers 

may exclude from gross income amounts distributed from a QTP and used for qualified higher 

education expenses, so long as the distribution is not used for the same educational expenses for 

which another tax benefit (such as an education tax credit or a tax-free distribution from a 

Coverdell Education Savings Account) is claimed. Nonqualified distributions are subject to an 

additional tax. Some States allow contributions to be excluded from income for State income tax 

purposes. 

There is no specific dollar cap on annual contributions to a QTP and no limit on contributions to 

a QTP account based on the contributor’s income. However, a QTP must provide adequate 

safeguards to prevent contributions on behalf of a designated beneficiary in excess of amounts 

necessary to provide for the qualified higher education expenses of the beneficiary. 

39
Reasons for Change

Almost one-third of American households have no financial assets and another fifth have only 

negligible assets available for investment. Many Americans are kept from entering the economic 

mainstream because they lack the financial resources to invest for long-term goals. Recent 

evidence suggests that low-income households respond to financial incentives in making savings 

decisions. Allowing the Saver’s Credit for contributions to a QTP provides an incentive for lowincome taxpayers to save for higher education. 

Proposal

The proposal would allow the Saver’s Credit for contributions to QTPs. As under current law, a 

taxpayer must be at least 18 years old, must not be eligible to be claimed as a dependent by 

another taxpayer, and must not be a full-time student in order to be eligible to receive the 

matching credit. 

Adjusted gross income in determining the applicable rate for the Saver’s Credit for QTP 

contribution would be modified to include the excludable portion of the taxpayer’s Social 

Security benefits. The credit would apply to an annual aggregate contribution of up to $2,000 

($4,000 for a married couple filing a joint return), or earnings includible in gross income, if less, 

to the taxpayer’s elective deferral plans, IRAs, and QTPs. For purposes of the credit, qualified 

contributions to a QTP must be made to an account over which the taxpayer is the person with 

the power to authorize distributions and to otherwise administer the account. Qualified 

contributions would be reduced by any distributions from an elective deferral plan, IRA, or QTP 

during the current tax year, the two preceding tax years, and the following tax year up to the due 

date of the return including extensions. 

The credit would be available for contributions to QTPs beginning on January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -88 -183 -198 -213 -227 -909 -2,259 

40
Strengthen Housing 

ALLOW TAX-EXEMPT QUALIFIED MORTGAGE BONDS TO REFINANCE HOME 

MORTGAGES TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR SUBPRIME BORROWERS 

Current Law

In general, the interest on bonds issued by State or local governments is excluded from gross 

income if the bonds meet certain eligibility requirements. There are two basic types of taxexempt bonds: governmental bonds and private activity bonds. Bonds generally are treated as 

governmental bonds if the proceeds are used to carry out governmental purposes or the bonds are 

repaid with governmental funds. Tax-exempt governmental bonds are subject to various general 

restrictions, including arbitrage investment restrictions, registration and reporting requirements, 

Federal guarantee restrictions, advance refunding limitations, spending period limitations, and 

pooled bond limitations. Governmental bonds are not subject to specific volume limitations. 

Bonds that have private business involvement or private loans exceeding certain levels are 

classified as “private activity bonds.” In particular, bonds are classified as private activity bonds 

if more than 10 percent (reduced to 5 percent in the case of certain unrelated or disproportionate 

private business use) of the bond proceeds are both: (1) used for private business use; and (2) 

payable or secured from private business sources. Bonds also are treated as private activity 

bonds if more than the lesser of $5 million or 5 percent of the bond proceeds are used to finance 

private loans, including business and consumer loans. 

Private activity bonds may be issued on a tax-exempt basis only for certain prescribed projects 

and program purposes and only if they meet both certain general requirements for governmental 

bonds and additional requirements for qualified private activity bonds, including, among others, 

an annual unified State bond volume cap on most private activity bonds, an advance refunding 

prohibition, a public approval requirement, and an issuance cost limitation. 

Current law allows State and local governments to issue one type of tax-exempt private activity 

bond, called “qualified mortgage bonds,” to finance new mortgage loans to first-time 

homebuyers for owner-occupied single-family housing upon satisfaction of a number of program 

eligibility requirements and subject to an annual private activity bond volume cap. Current 

program eligibility requirements for qualified mortgage bonds include the following. Eligible 

loans generally must be new loans (as contrasted with refinancing loans), with certain limited 

exceptions. Eligible homebuyers generally cannot have owned homes within the previous three 

years (the “first-time homebuyer” requirement). Purchase prices of eligible homes cannot 

exceed 90% of average area purchase prices (increased to 110% of such prices in certain targeted 

areas). Incomes of eligible borrowers generally cannot exceed 115% of applicable median 

family income (increased to 140% of such income for certain targeted area residences). In 

addition, the borrower income limits also are increased by formula for certain high-cost areas. 

Special arbitrage restrictions limit the effective interest rates on financed loans to not more than 

1.125% above the bond yield. The income on these tax-exempt bonds is a preference item for 

purposes of alternative minimum tax. 

41
Reasons for Change

State and local governments, particularly State housing finance agencies, have significant 

ongoing tax-exempt bond programs to finance lower cost mortgage loans to enable eligible firsttime homebuyers to purchase homes. These State and local governments have loan program 

systems in place that would allow them to serve an expanded role in providing lower cost 

financing relief to subprime borrowers as one avenue to ameliorate the impact of the current 

subprime lending difficulties. In addition, certain States have initiated limited programs, 

sometimes with taxable loan funds, to help subprime borrowers refinance escalating variable rate 

loans with lower cost fixed rate loans. State and local governments potentially could provide 

greater amounts and more significant levels of lower cost financing relief to subprime borrowers 

if tax-exempt qualified mortgage bond financing were available for refinancing mortgages. 

Proposal

The proposal would amend the program requirements for tax-exempt qualified mortgage bonds 

to allow State and local governments to use these tax-exempt bonds to refinance existing loans to 

assist eligible subprime borrowers. The proposal would provide temporary authority to use taxexempt qualified mortgage bonds for subprime refinancings during the three years from 2008 

through 2010. 

The proposal also would increase the annual private activity bond volume cap by a total amount 

of $15 billion (equivalent to $5 billion per year for three years) for use in the three years 2008 

through 2010 exclusively to refinance eligible subprime loans. The increased volume cap would 

be allocated among the States in proportion to population in the same manner that private 

activity bond volume cap regularly is allocated, except that this volume cap would be dedicated 

specially to eligible subprime loan refinancings. 

The proposal would target the program to a defined class of eligible subprime borrowers with 

loans with a reasonably foreseeable risk of default and a reasonable potential to avoid default 

with a lower cost refinancing. The proposal would provide discretion and flexibility to State and 

local governmental issuers to tailor their programs to local needs. 

The proposal would make certain technical changes to the current program requirements for 

qualified mortgage bonds to accommodate refinancing loans to subprime borrowers, such as 

exceptions to the new loan requirement and first-time homebuyer requirement and tailored 

application of purchase price and income limits at the time of refinancing. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-27 -116 -230 -305 -329 -331 -1,311 -2,687 

42
Protect the Environment 

PERMANENTLY EXTEND EXPENSING OF BROWNFIELDS REMEDIATION COSTS 

Current Law

Taxpayers can elect to treat certain environmental remediation expenditures that would 

otherwise be chargeable to a capital account as deductible in the year paid or incurred. The 

deduction applies for both regular and alternative minimum tax purposes. The expenditure must 

be incurred in connection with the abatement of hazardous substances at a qualified 

contaminated site (so-called “brownfields”). This provision applies only to expenditures paid or 

incurred before January 1, 2008. 

Hazardous substances are defined generally for purposes of the brownfields provision by 

reference to sections 101(14) and 102 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 

Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). A qualified contaminated site generally is 

any property that (1) is held for use in a trade or business, for the production of income, or as 

inventory; (2) contains (or potentially contains) a hazardous substance; and (3) is certified by the 

appropriate State environmental agency as to the presence (or potential presence) of a hazardous 

substance. However, sites that are identified on the national priorities list under CERCLA do not 

qualify as qualified contaminated sites. 

The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 expanded the definition of hazardous substance to 

include petroleum products (including crude oil) for remediation expenditures paid or incurred 

after December 31, 2005, and before January 1, 2008. 

Reasons for Change

Encouraging environmental remediation is an important national goal. The brownfields 

provision encourages the cleanup of contaminated brownfields, thereby enabling them to be 

brought back into productive use in the economy and mitigating potential harms to public health. 

Extending the special treatment accorded to brownfields on a permanent basis would remove 

doubt among taxpayers as to the deductibility of future remediation expenditures and would 

promote the goal of encouraging environmental remediation. 

Proposal

The expensing of brownfield remediation expenditures would be made permanent. 

43
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-180 -501 -356 -343 -327 -284 -1,811 -2,870 

44
ELIMINATE THE VOLUME CAP FOR PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS FOR WATER 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

Current Law

In general, the interest on bonds issued by State or local governments is excludable from gross 

income if the bonds meet certain eligibility requirements. State or local governments issue taxexempt bonds to finance a wide range of public infrastructure projects. There are two basic 

kinds of tax-exempt bonds: governmental bonds and qualified private activity bonds. Bonds 

generally are treated as governmental bonds if the proceeds are used to carry out governmental 

purposes or the bonds are repaid with governmental funds. Bonds are classified as governmental 

bonds under a definition that limits private business use and private business sources of payment 

and also limits private loans. Governmental bonds are subject to various general restrictions, 

including arbitrage investment restrictions, registration and reporting requirements, Federal 

guarantee restrictions, advance refunding limitations, spending period limitations, and pooled 

bond limitations. Governmental bonds, however, are not subject to specific volume limitations. 

Bonds that have excessive private business involvement or private loans are classified as “private 

activity bonds.” In particular, bonds are classified as “private activity bonds” if more than 10 

percent (reduced to 5 percent in the case of certain unrelated or disproportionate private business 

use) of the bond proceeds are both: (1) used for private business use; and (2) payable or secured 

from private sources. Bonds also are treated as private activity bonds if more than the lesser of 

$5 million or 5 percent of the bond proceeds are used to finance private loans, including business 

and consumer loans. 

Private activity bonds may be issued on a tax-exempt basis only if they meet the general 

requirements for governmental bonds and the additional requirements necessary for “qualified 

private activity bonds.” Qualified private activity bonds include exempt facility bonds, qualified 

mortgage bonds for single-family housing, qualified veterans’ mortgage bonds, qualified small 

issue bonds, qualified student loan bonds, qualified redevelopment bonds, and qualified 

501(c)(3) bonds. Eligible facilities for which exempt facility bonds may be issued include 

facilities for the furnishing of water and sewage facilities. Most qualified private activity bonds 

are subject to an annual unified State volume cap. 

Reasons for Change

The nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure facilities serve important national public policy 

interests in ensuring clean and safe drinking water and sanitation. There is a significant need for 

capital funding to upgrade the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure facilities. Removing 

the volume cap on tax-exempt qualified private activity bonds for water and wastewater 

infrastructure facilities would encourage additional needed private investment and public-private 

partnerships in these needed water infrastructure facilities. 

45
Proposal

The proposal would provide an exception to the unified annual State volume cap on tax-exempt 

qualified private activity bonds for exempt facilities for the “furnishing of water” or “sewage 

facilities.” The proposal would be effective for bonds issued after December 31, 2008, to 

finance water or sewer facilities. These bonds are intended to complement local efforts to move 

towards full cost pricing for wastewater and drinking water services, helping municipalities 

become self-financing and minimizing the need for future Federal expenditures. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 -3 -6 -10 -15 -34 -214 

46
Restructure Assistance to New York City 

PROVIDE TAX INCENTIVES FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE 

Current Law

The Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 (the Act) provided tax incentives for the 

area of New York City damaged or affected by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The 

Act created the “New York Liberty Zone,” defined as the area located on or south of Canal 

Street, East Broadway (east of its intersection with Canal Street), or Grand Street (east of its 

intersection with East Broadway) in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, New 

York. New York Liberty Zone tax incentives included: (1) an expansion of the work 

opportunity tax credit (WOTC) for New York Liberty Zone business employees; (2) a special 

depreciation allowance for qualified New York Liberty Zone property; (3) a five-year recovery 

period for depreciation of qualified New York Liberty Zone leasehold improvement property; (4) 

$8 billion of tax-exempt private activity bond financing for certain nonresidential real property, 

residential rental property and public utility property; (5) $9 billion of additional tax-exempt, 

advance refunding bonds; (6) increased section 179 expensing; and (7) an extension of the 

replacement period for nonrecognition of gain for certain involuntary conversions.5

The expanded WOTC credit provided a 40 percent subsidy on the first $6,000 of annual wages 

paid to New York Liberty Zone business employees for work performed during 2002 or 2003. 

The special depreciation allowance for qualified New York Liberty Zone property equals 30 

percent of the adjusted basis of the property for the taxable year in which the property is placed 

in service. Qualified nonresidential real property and residential rental property must be 

purchased by the taxpayer after September 10, 2001, and placed in service before January 1, 

2010. Such property is qualified property only to the extent it rehabilitates real property 

damaged, or replaces real property destroyed or condemned, as a result of the September 11, 

2001, terrorist attacks. The provision is no longer applicable for other property. 

The five-year recovery period for qualified leasehold improvement property applied, in general, 

to buildings located in the New York Liberty Zone if the improvement was placed in service 

after September 10, 2001, and before January 1, 2007, and no written binding contract for the 

improvement was in effect before September 11, 2001. 

The $8 billion of tax-exempt private activity bond financing is authorized to be issued by the 

State of New York or any political subdivision thereof after March 9, 2002, and before January 

1, 2010. 

The $9 billion of additional tax-exempt, advance refunding bonds was available after March 9, 

2002, and before January 1, 2006, with respect to certain State or local bonds outstanding on 

September 11, 2001. 

 

5

 The Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 amended certain of the New York Liberty Zone provisions relating 

to tax-exempt bonds. 

47
Businesses were allowed to expense the cost of certain qualified New York Liberty Zone 

property placed in service prior to 2007, up to an additional $35,000 above the amounts 

generally available under section 179.6

 In addition, only 50 percent of the cost of such qualified 

New York Liberty Zone property counted toward the limitation under which section 179 

deductions are reduced to the extent the cost of section 179 property exceeds a specified amount. 

A taxpayer may elect not to recognize gain with respect to property that is involuntarily 

converted if the taxpayer acquires within an applicable period (the replacement period) property 

similar or related in service or use. In general, the replacement period begins with the date of the 

disposition of the converted property and ends two years (three years if the converted property is 

real property held for the productive use in a trade or business or for investment) after the close 

of the first taxable year in which any part of the gain upon conversion is realized. The Act 

extended the replacement period to five years for property in the New York Liberty Zone that 

was involuntarily converted as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, if 

substantially all of the use of the replacement property is in New York City. 

Reasons for Change

Some of the tax benefits that were provided to New York following the attacks of September 11, 

2001, likely will not be usable in the form in which they were originally provided. State and 

local officials in New York have concluded that improvements to transportation infrastructure 

and connectivity in the Liberty Zone would have a greater impact on recovery and continued 

development than would some of the existing tax incentive provisions. 

Proposal

The proposal would sunset certain existing New York Liberty Zone tax benefits and provide in 

their place tax credits to New York State and New York City for expenditures relating to the 

construction or improvement of transportation infrastructure in or connecting to the New York 

Liberty Zone. New York State and New York City each would be eligible for a tax credit for 

expenditures relating to the construction or improvement of transportation infrastructure in or 

connecting to the New York Liberty Zone. The tax credit would be allowed in each year from 

2009 to 2018, inclusive, subject to an annual limit of $200 million (for a total of $2 billion in tax 

credits), and would be divided evenly between the State and the City. Any unused credits below 

the annual limit would be added to the $200 million annual limit for the following year, 

including years after 2018. Similarly, expenditures that exceed the annual limit would be carried 

forward and subtracted from the annual limit in the following year. The credit would be allowed 

against any payments (other than payments of excise taxes and social security and Medicare 

payroll taxes) made by the City and State under any provision of the Code, including income tax 

withholding. The Treasury Department would prescribe such rules as are necessary to ensure 

that the expenditures are made for the intended purposes. The amount of the credit received 

would be considered State and local funds for the purpose of any Federal program. 

 

6

 Section 179 provides that, in place of depreciation, certain taxpayers, typically small businesses, may elect to 

deduct up to $125,000 of the cost of section 179 property placed in service each year. In general, section 179 

property is defined as depreciable tangible personal property that is purchased for use in the active conduct of a trade 

or business. 

48
Repeal Certain New York City Liberty Zone Incentives 

The special depreciation allowance for qualified New York Liberty Zone property that is either 

nonresidential real property or residential rental property would be terminated as of the date of 

enactment. Property placed in service after the date of enactment would be ineligible for this 

incentive unless a binding written contract is in effect on the date of enactment and the property 

is placed in service before the original sunset dates set forth in the Act. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -200 -200 -200 -200 -200 -1,000 -2,000 

49
SIMPLIFY THE TAX LAWS FOR FAMILIES 

CLARIFY UNIFORM DEFINITION OF A CHILD 

Current Law 

A taxpayer may be eligible to claim a qualifying child for various tax benefits, including the 

dependent exemption, head of household filing status, the child tax credit, the child and 

dependent care tax credit, and the earned income tax credit (EITC). A qualifying child must 

meet the following three tests: 

• Relationship – The child generally must be the taxpayer’s son, daughter, grandchild, 

sibling, niece or nephew, or foster child. 

• Residence – The child must live with the taxpayer in the same principal place of abode 

for over half the year. 

• Age – The child must be under the age of 19, a full-time student if over age 18 and under 

age 24, or totally and permanently disabled. However, the child must be under age 13 for 

the child and dependent care tax credit and under age 17 for purposes of the child tax 

credit. 

Additional requirements may apply to specific child-related tax benefits. For example, a 

taxpayer may claim a married child for the child tax credit, assuming the child meets the criteria 

listed above. However, for purposes of the dependent exemption and EITC, an individual 

generally cannot be a qualifying child if he or she is married and filing a joint return (unless that 

return is filed only as a claim for a refund). 

A taxpayer may not claim a qualifying child if the taxpayer is a qualifying child of another 

taxpayer. Further, a taxpayer who is a dependent of another taxpayer may not claim a qualifying 

child for purposes of the personal exemption, head of household filing status, or the child and 

dependent care tax credit. 

Under some circumstances (e.g., a three-generation household), two or more taxpayers may be 

eligible to claim the same child for tax benefits. Current law allows the eligible taxpayers to 

decide among themselves who will claim the child-related tax benefits. If more than one eligible 

taxpayer actually claims the same qualifying child, then the following tiebreaker tests determine 

which taxpayer is entitled to the child-related tax benefits. 

• An eligible parent’s claim supersedes all other claims. 

• If the child’s parents do not file a joint return and both claim the child on separate returns, 

then the tax benefits accrue to the parent with whom the child resides the longest. If both 

parents reside with the child for the same length of time, then the benefits accrue to the 

parent with the highest adjusted gross income (AGI). 

51
• If the child’s parents do not claim the child, then the tax benefits accrue to the claimant 

with the highest AGI. 

Reasons for Change 

The Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 (WFTRA) created a uniform definition of 

qualifying child, allowing, in many circumstances, a taxpayer to claim the same child for five 

different child-related tax benefits. WFTRA also simplified eligibility rules, making it easier for 

both taxpayers and the IRS to determine if an individual is a qualifying child. By eliminating a 

burdensome support test, WFTRA also reduced recording-keeping requirements. 

However, WFTRA may have some unintended consequences. Under prior law, a taxpayer could 

not claim a sibling for certain child-related tax benefits unless the taxpayer could demonstrate 

that he or she cared for the sibling as if the sibling were the taxpayer’s own child. Congress 

repealed this factual test, responding to concern that it was difficult to administer. However, this 

change also effectively denied assistance to some low-income taxpayers who are the sole 

guardians of their siblings while giving higher-income families an opportunity to avoid income 

limitations on child tax benefits. 

 

For example, a 20-year-old taxpayer works 30 hours a week while going to school full-time. The 

taxpayer’s parents are dead, and she is the legal guardian of her 15-year-old brother, with whom 

she resides for over half the year. She provides over half of her own and her brother’s support. 

Under pre-WFTRA law, the young woman could not be claimed as a dependent by another 

taxpayer, since she provided more than half of her own support. Further, the young woman 

could claim her brother as a dependent and receive the tax benefits associated with the dependent 

exemption, head of household filing status, and the child tax credit. She could also claim her 

brother for the EITC because, in addition to meeting other requirements, she cared for him as if 

he were her own child. 

WFTRA recognizes that this taxpayer is self-supporting, and thus she is still able to claim 

exemptions both for herself and her brother, file as a head of household, and claim the child tax 

credit. Her brother is also still considered her qualifying child for purposes of the EITC. 

However, eliminating the “care for” test means that the 20-year-old is now the qualifying child 

of her 15-year-old brother: she meets the relationship, residency, and age tests. Unlike the other 

child-related tax benefits, there is no rule prohibiting self-supporting individuals from being 

considered the qualifying children of other taxpayers. Because a qualifying child cannot claim 

another qualifying child, the older sister is no longer eligible for the EITC under WFTRA. 

(Similarly, the younger brother could not claim his older sister for the EITC, if he worked and 

had earnings.) 

In other cases, the elimination of the “care for” test makes it possible for some taxpayers to avoid 

income limitations on certain child-related tax benefits by allowing other family members, who 

have lower incomes, to claim the taxpayers’ sons and daughters as qualifying children. For 

example, a couple lives with their 26-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter. The son is not a 

qualifying child because of his age (assuming that he does not have a permanent and total 

52
disability). In addition, the son earns less than $30,000 a year, placing him in the EITC income 

range. If the parents have moderate income, they may find that the family could receive larger 

child tax benefits if their son claims his sister as a qualifying child and receives the EITC. If the 

parents have very high income, the gains to the family of allowing the son to claim the sister as a 

dependent may be even greater, because the parent’s income is too high to benefit from the 

dependent exemption and child tax credits, as well as the EITC. 

Current law thus allows some families to obtain certain child tax benefits, even when the parents’ 

income is too high to qualify, while denying the EITC to some low-income working taxpayers 

who are the sole guardians of their siblings. Current law also creates complexity by encouraging 

families to engage in multiple computations in order to determine how to maximize tax benefits. 

WFTRA had other unintended consequences, which made some of the eligibility rules less 

uniform. For example, WFTRA allowed dependent filers to claim the child tax credit, even 

though they are generally ineligible for most other child-related tax benefits. WFTRA also 

allowed taxpayers to claim the child tax credit on behalf of a married child who files a joint 

return with his or her spouse, even though the taxpayer cannot generally claim other tax benefits 

for this child. These exceptions not only create confusion, but have led to the creation of a new 

tax form – Form 8901 – solely to deal with these issues. 

Proposal 

The proposal clarifies the definition of a qualifying child and who is eligible to claim these 

children. 

Definition of Qualifying Child. The proposal would stipulate that a taxpayer is not a qualifying 

child of another individual if the taxpayer is older than that individual unless the other individual 

is a sibling and the taxpayer is permanently and totally disabled. In addition, an individual who 

is married and files a joint return (unless that return is filed only as a claim for a refund) would 

not be a qualifying child for any child-related tax benefits, including the child tax credit. 

Eligibility of Taxpayer for Child-Related Tax Benefits. If a parent resides with his or her child 

for over half the year, only the parent would be eligible to claim the child as a qualifying child. 

However, the parent could waive the child-related tax benefits to another member of the 

household who has higher AGI and is otherwise eligible for the child tax benefits. In addition, 

dependent filers would not be eligible to claim any child-related tax benefits. 

The proposal would be effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

53
Revenue Estimate7

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -3 290 278 257 284 1,106 2,900 

 

7

 The estimate includes both receipt and outlay effects. The outlay effect is -$2,625 million for 2009-2018. 

54
SIMPLIFY EITC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS REGARDING FILING STATUS, 

PRESENCE OF CHILDREN, AND WORK AND IMMIGRANT STATUS 

Current Law 

Low and moderate-income workers may be eligible for the refundable earned income tax credit 

(EITC). Eligibility for the EITC is based on income, filing status, and immigration and work 

status in the United States. The amount of the EITC is based on the presence and number of 

qualifying children in the worker’s family, as well as on income. The rules regarding filing 

status, presence of children, and work and immigration status are particularly complicated and 

are described below. 

Filing Status: An unmarried individual can claim the EITC if he or she files as a single filer or as 

a head of household. Married individuals generally cannot claim the EITC unless they file 

jointly. However, there is an exception for estranged spouses who meet three requirements. 

First, an estranged spouse must live apart from his or her spouse for the last six months of the 

year. Second, the estranged spouse must maintain a household that constitutes the principal 

place of abode for a dependent child for over half the year. Third, the estranged spouse must pay 

over half the cost of maintaining the home in which he or she resides with the child during the 

year. If the estranged spouse meets these conditions, he or she may file a tax return as a head of 

household and claim the EITC. 

Presence of Qualifying Children: A taxpayer who resides with a qualifying child may be eligible 

for an EITC of up to $2,917 ($4,824 for two or more children). A taxpayer who does not reside 

with a qualifying child may be eligible for a smaller credit of up to $438. A taxpayer may claim 

the EITC for workers without qualifying children only if the taxpayer does not reside with a 

qualifying child. 

To be considered an EITC qualifying child, a child must meet residency, relationship, and age 

tests. Even if the child meets the three qualifying child tests, the taxpayer may not be able to 

claim the child or the EITC. For example, if more than one taxpayer lives with a qualifying 

child, only one of those taxpayers can claim the child for purposes of the EITC.8

 If a taxpayer 

lives with a qualifying child, but is not allowed to claim the child because the child is properly 

claimed by someone else, the taxpayer is not eligible for the EITC. Because the taxpayer resides 

with a qualifying child, he or she is ineligible for the EITC for workers without qualifying 

children. 

A similar situation arises when a taxpayer resides with a qualifying child who does not have a 

valid social security number. The taxpayer is not eligible for the EITC for workers with 

 

8 If more than one taxpayer claims the same qualifying child for purposes of the EITC, then only the claimant with 

the highest adjusted gross income (AGI) is deemed eligible. However, a parent’s claim supersedes the claims of 

other taxpayers, regardless of the outcome of the AGI tiebreaker test. If both parents file separate returns claiming 

the child, then the parent who resides with the child the longest is deemed entitled to the EITC. In the event that 

both parents reside with the child for the same amount of time, then the parent with the highest AGI is entitled to the 

EITC. 

55
qualifying children because the child lacks a valid social security number. The taxpayer also is 

ineligible for the EITC for workers without qualifying children because he or she lives with a 

qualifying child. 

Work and Immigration Status: To claim the EITC, the taxpayer (including his or her spouse, if 

married) and qualifying child must have valid social security numbers. A social security number 

is considered invalid for EITC purposes if it was issued by the Social Security Administration 

solely to allow an individual to obtain Federal benefits. Thus, an individual who is not 

authorized to work in the United States but who obtained a social security number in order to 

receive Medicaid or another Federal benefit is not eligible for the EITC. However, an individual 

who is not authorized to work in the United States but who obtained a social security number for 

a reason other than to obtain Federal benefits (e.g., to obtain a driver’s license under State law or 

for tax purposes prior to the creation of the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)) is 

eligible for the EITC. 

The IRS may deny EITC claims if the taxpayer does not provide valid social security numbers 

under statutory authority to assess amounts claimed due to mathematical or clerical errors. 

Reasons for Change 

According to the IRS, between $8.5 and $9.9 billion of EITC claims (27 percent to 31.7 percent 

of total claims) were erroneously paid with respect to tax year 1999 returns. Many of these 

errors related to taxpayers who failed to meet eligibility criteria concerning family and income 

status. Since 1999, a number of steps have been taken to improve compliance. Most notably, 

the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 contained several provisions 

that simplified the EITC eligibility rules and reduced non-compliance.9

 As a result of these 

efforts, the EITC error rate is estimated to fall to between 23 and 28 percent in 2006. Further 

simplification is needed to reduce these erroneous claims. 

Some of the EITC errors may have been caused by taxpayer confusion over unusual family 

situations and the complicated tax rules that were created to address these situations. For 

example, an individual who has separated from his or her spouse is required to understand a 

complicated three-part test to determine his or her filing status under current law. Separated 

spouses may have to consult two IRS publications (Publication 596 on the EITC and Publication 

501 on filing status) in order to determine if they are eligible for the EITC. They must compile 

and retain documentation showing that they provided over half the cost of maintaining the home 

in which they and their children reside. In tax year 1999, nearly $1 billion of EITC overclaims 

were due solely to married taxpayers claiming single or head of household filing status when 

they should have claimed married-filing-separately status. Many of these claims would not be 

 

9 These provisions include a simplified tiebreaker test to resolve duplicate claims and to apply the same definitions 

of earned income and adjusted gross income used elsewhere in the Code to the EITC. The recent adoption of a 

uniform definition of qualifying child will further reduce the complexity of the EITC eligibility criteria. In addition 

to these simplification efforts, the IRS has been implementing a new five-point initiative, which seeks to better 

detect erroneous claims before refunds are paid. 

56
erroneous if separated spouses were not required to document that they provide over half the cost 

of maintaining the household in which they reside with their children. 

Other types of complicated family situations result in complicated tax rules. For example, if a 

child lives with her mother in her grandmother’s home for over half the year, the child is a 

qualifying child of both her mother and grandmother. If the mother claims the child for the 

EITC, the grandmother is not eligible for the EITC for workers without qualifying children 

because she is still considered to have a qualifying child (her granddaughter). However, the 

grandmother may erroneously claim the EITC for workers who do not reside with qualifying 

children, not realizing that she is ineligible to claim the credit because she lives with her 

daughter and granddaughter. Taxpayers may be confused by the subtle difference between 

having a qualifying child one cannot claim for the EITC and having no qualifying child at all. 

 

Efforts to target the EITC to specific populations also give rise to complexity. In some cases, 

targeting provisions may be more complicated than they were intended to be. A provision of the 

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (the “1996 Act”) was 

intended to deny the EITC to any person (including his or her spouse) who is not authorized to 

work in the United States. Individuals may obtain a social security number if they are citizens or 

permanent residents or other persons authorized to work in the United States. Individuals not 

authorized to work in the United States may also obtain a social security number in order to 

receive certain Federal benefits. In addition, until recently, it was possible for some individuals 

to receive social security numbers for other reasons – e.g., to obtain a driver’s license in some 

States or, before the adoption of ITINs, to file a tax return or claim certain tax benefits. As 

drafted, the 1996 Act denied the EITC to taxpayers who receive a social security number solely 

to receive Federal benefits. The 1996 Act did not deny the EITC to individuals who are not 

authorized to work in the United States and who received social security numbers for reasons 

other than to obtain Federal benefits. Thus, the statutory language in the 1996 Act did not have 

its intended effect. The disparate treatment of individuals with non-work-related social security 

numbers is confusing, inequitable, and difficult to administer. 

Proposal 

Allow separated spouses to claim the EITC. Married taxpayers who file separate returns would 

be allowed to claim the EITC if they live with a qualifying child for over half the year. They 

must also live apart from their spouse for the last six months of the tax year. However, they 

would not be required to provide over half the cost of maintaining the household in which they 

reside. The proposal would be effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

Simplify rules regarding presence of qualifying child. A taxpayer with a qualifying child who 

lives in an extended family would be eligible to claim the EITC for workers without qualifying 

children even if another member of the family claims the taxpayer’s qualifying child. However, 

if unmarried parents reside together with their child, then one parent could claim the EITC for 

qualifying children, but neither could claim the EITC for workers without qualifying children. 

Taxpayers would be eligible to receive the EITC for workers without qualifying children if their 

child does not have a valid social security number. As under current law, the taxpayer (and 

57
spouse, if married) must have a valid social security number. The proposal would be effective 

for tax years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

Clarify when a social security number is valid for EITC purposes. To qualify for the EITC, a 

taxpayer (including his or her spouse, if married) must have a social security number that is valid 

for employment in the United States (that is, they are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or have 

certain types of temporary visas that allow them to work in the United States).10 The Treasury 

Department and the IRS will develop an outreach strategy to ensure that taxpayers, including 

those whose immigration and work status has changed since they received social security 

numbers, are aware of the new requirements. The proposal would be effective January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate11

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 267 -59 -43 -39 -36 90 -37 

 

10 Taxpayers who initially received a social security number for non-work reasons, but who subsequently became 

authorized to work in the United States (i.e., they became permanent residents or U.S. citizens), would be eligible to 

receive the EITC. 

11 The estimate includes both receipt and outlay effects. The outlay effect is $-144 million for 2009-2018. 

58
REDUCE COMPUTATIONAL COMPLEXITY OF REFUNDABLE CHILD TAX 

CREDIT 

Current Law 

An individual may claim a $1,000 tax credit for each qualifying child. A qualifying child must 

meet the following three tests: 

• Relationship – The child generally must be the taxpayer’s son, daughter, grandchild, 

sibling, niece or nephew, or foster child. 

• Residence – The child must live with the taxpayer in the same principal place of abode 

for over half the year. 

• Age – The child must be under the age of 17. 

For purposes of the child tax credit, a qualifying child must be a citizen, national, or resident of 

the United States. The child tax credit is phased out for individuals with income over certain 

thresholds,12 and is partially refundable. 

Taxpayers may be eligible for a refundable amount (the additional child tax credit) equal to 15 

percent of earned income in excess of $12,050.13 Earned income is defined as the sum of wages, 

salaries, tips, and other taxable employee compensation plus net self-employment earnings. 

Unlike the earned income tax credit (EITC), which also includes the preceding items in its 

definition of earned income, the additional child tax credit is based only on earned income to the 

extent it is included in computing taxable income.14 

Families with three or more children may determine the additional child tax credit using an 

alternative formula. A taxpayer can claim an additional child tax credit equal to the amount by 

which the taxpayer’s social security taxes exceed the taxpayer’s EITC, if that amount is greater 

than the additional child tax credit based on the taxpayer’s earned income in excess of $12,050. 

Reasons for Change 

The additional child tax credit is difficult to compute and unduly complicated. To compute the 

credit amount, low and moderate-income taxpayers must attach a separate form to their tax 

return. Many taxpayers with three or more children must compute the additional child tax credit 

twice to determine which formula yields the larger credit. 

 

12 Specifically, the otherwise allowable child tax credit is reduced by $50 for each $1,000 (or fraction thereof) of 

modified adjusted gross income over $75,000 for single individuals or heads of households, $110,000 for married 

individuals filing joint returns, and $55,000 for married individuals filing separate returns.

13 The earned income threshold amount is indexed for inflation. 

14 For example, some ministers add parsonage allowances to self-employment income when computing the EITC, 

but such allowances are excluded from taxable income for purposes of the additional child tax credit. 

59
In addition, the eligibility criteria for the additional child tax credit differ from those used for the 

EITC. (Over 70 percent of taxpayers who are eligible for the additional child tax credit also can 

claim the EITC.) Although both credits are based on earned income and the number of children 

in the family, they use different definitions of earned income and qualifying children. For 

example, when computing the additional child tax credit, taxpayers may count earned income 

only to the extent that it is included in taxable income; however, when computing the EITC, 

other types of income that are not included in computing taxable income are counted. Another 

example is that the additional child tax credit may be claimed by taxpayers who reside with 

children outside the United States, while the child-based EITC may be claimed only by taxpayers 

who reside with children in the United States. 

Proposal 

Eliminate Multiple Computations. Taxpayers with three or more children would no longer have 

the option to compute the additional child tax credit using an alternative formula that compares 

social security taxes paid to the amount of the EITC received. The additional child tax credit 

would be based solely on the formula that uses earned income, regardless of the number of 

children in a taxpayer’s family. 

Conform the Definition of Earned Income. The definition of earned income for purposes of the 

additional child tax credit would be conformed to that currently used for the EITC. Thus, earned 

income for both credits would equal the sum of wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee 

compensation plus net self-employment earnings. The proposal would eliminate the requirement 

that earned income be included in taxable income in order to be included in computing the 

additional child tax credit. 

Require Taxpayers to Reside in the United States. The proposal would require taxpayers to 

reside with a child in the United States to claim the additional child tax credit. The principal 

place of abode for members of the U.S. Armed Forces would be treated as in the United States 

for any period the member is stationed outside the United States while serving on extended 

active duty. Extended active duty would include a call or order to such duty for a period in 

excess of 90 days. 

The proposal is effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

Revenue Estimate15

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 377 380 388 392 1,537 3,560 

 

15 The estimate includes both receipt and outlay effects. The outlay effect is $-3,560 million for 2009-2018. 

60
IMPROVE TAX COMPLIANCE 

Introduction 

The Federal tax system is based on voluntary compliance with the tax laws. Under this system, 

taxpayers report and pay their taxes voluntarily with minimal interaction with the IRS. While the 

vast majority of Americans pay their taxes in a timely and accurate manner, there remains a 

difference between what taxpayers should pay and what they actually pay. In 2001, the overall 

compliance rate was estimated at over 86 percent, after including late payments and recoveries 

from IRS enforcement activities. While this rate of compliance is high, a large amount of the tax 

that should be paid is not paid, resulting in the so-called “tax gap.” 

In September 2006, the Treasury Department released a comprehensive strategy to improve tax 

compliance.16 The strategy builds upon the demonstrated experience and current efforts of the 

Treasury Department and IRS to improve compliance. 

Four key principles guided the development of this strategy: 

• Unintentional taxpayer errors and intentional taxpayer evasion should both be addressed. 

• Sources of non-compliance should be targeted with specificity. 

• Enforcement activities should be combined with a commitment to taxpayer service. 

• Tax policy and compliance proposals should be sensitive to taxpayer rights and maintain 

an appropriate balance between enforcement activity and imposition of taxpayer burden. 

These principles point to the need for a comprehensive, integrated, multi-year strategy to 

improve tax compliance. Components of this strategy must include: (1) legislative proposals to 

reduce opportunities for evasion; (2) a multi-year commitment to compliance research; (3) 

continued improvements in information technology; (4) improvements in IRS compliance 

activities; (5) enhancements of taxpayer service; (6) simplification of the tax law; and (7) 

coordination between the government and its partners and stakeholders. 

The IRS has taken a number of steps to improve compliance. In a Report on Improving 

Voluntary Compliance, the IRS detailed initiatives for: increasing front-line enforcement 

resources; increasing voluntary compliance through improved taxpayer service options and 

enhanced research; investing in technology to reverse infrastructure deterioration, accelerate 

modernization, and improve the productivity of existing resources; and implementing legislative 

and regulatory changes.17

To enhance the IRS’ efforts, the Administration’s FY 2009 Budget includes a number of 

legislative proposals intended to improve tax compliance with minimum taxpayer burden. The 

 

16 Treasury Department, A Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing the Tax Gap (September 26, 2006). 

17 IRS, Reducing the Federal Tax Gap (August 2, 2007). 

61
Administration proposes to expand information reporting, improve compliance by businesses, 

strengthen tax administration, and expand penalties. 

62
Expand Information Reporting 

REQUIRE INFORMATION REPORTING ON PAYMENTS TO CORPORATIONS 

Current Law

Generally, a taxpayer making payments to a recipient aggregating to $600 or more for services or 

determinable gains in the course of a trade or business in a calendar year is required to send an 

information return to the IRS setting forth the amount, as well as name and address of the 

recipient of the payment (generally on Form 1099). Under a longstanding regulatory regime, 

there are certain exceptions for payments to corporations, as well as tax-exempt and government 

entities. 

Reasons for Change

Generally, compliance increases significantly for payments that a third party reports to the IRS. 

In the case of tax-exempt or government entities that are generally not subject to income tax, 

information returns may not be necessary. On the other hand, during the decades in which the 

regulatory exception for payments to corporations has become established, the number and 

complexity of corporate taxpayers have increased. Moreover, the longstanding regulatory 

exception from information reporting for payments to corporations has created compliance 

issues. Although the exception for information reporting to corporations is set forth in existing 

regulations, because it has been in place for many years and because Congress, during that time 

period, has made numerous changes to the information reporting rules, elimination of the 

exception should be made by legislative change. 

Proposal

A business would be required to file an information return for payments aggregating to $600 or 

more in a calendar year to a corporation (except a tax-exempt corporation). 

The proposal would be effective for payments made to corporations on or after January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 73 422 649 819 886 2,849 8,225 

63
REQUIRE BASIS REPORTING ON SECURITY SALES 

Current Law

Brokers (including mutual funds and certain other persons) file information returns with the IRS 

setting forth the amount of sales proceeds from the sale of securities, as well as the name, 

Taxpayer Identification Number, and address of the recipient (generally on Form 1099-B). 

Reasons for Change

Generally, compliance increases significantly for payments that a third party reports to the IRS. 

The potential for non-compliance on sales of securities is considerable under current law, 

because the taxpayer’s basis is not reported. Requiring brokers to maintain records of the 

adjusted basis of securities sold by their customers and to report this information to the IRS 

would increase compliance with capital gains reporting. In addition, such a requirement would 

provide significant simplification benefits by relieving taxpayers from the often complicated task 

of calculating adjusted basis to determine gain or loss on the sale of securities. 

Proposal

Certain brokers (including brokerage houses, mutual funds, asset managers and fiduciaries) 

would be required to report information regarding adjusted basis in connection with the sale of 

certain securities. The IRS and Treasury Department would be granted regulatory authority to 

promulgate specific rules, including exceptions, to implement this mandate. Brokers also would 

be required to report acquisition or disposition dates for securities to determine short-term or 

long-term gain or loss for taxpayers. To facilitate accurate basis reporting if a customer transfers 

securities from an account with one broker to an account with another, the transferor broker 

would be required to provide the relevant information to the transferee. Under regulations, a 

broker would not be penalized for failure accurately to report items of information that the 

broker is unable to obtain with reasonable efforts. Regulations may establish a regime under 

which customers provide information to their brokers about customer transactions that produce 

adjustments to basis and about the customers’ initial basis in securities when the broker has no 

other way of knowing this information. Information about basis adjustments that are applicable 

to all holders of securities of a particular class would be available to brokers either directly from 

the relevant issuer or indirectly from the issuer through a central repository of information. 

The reporting provisions would apply to securities acquired after December 31, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 29 176 370 628 1,203 7,480 

64
REQUIRE INFORMATION REPORTING ON MERCHANT PAYMENT CARD 

REIMBURSEMENTS 

 Current Law

Generally, a taxpayer making payments to a noncorporate recipient aggregating to $600 or more 

for services or determinable gains in the course of a trade or business in a calendar year is 

required to send an information return to the IRS setting forth the amount, as well as the name 

and address of the recipient of the payment (generally on Form 1099). For example, any service 

recipient engaged in a trade or business is required to file an information return if the aggregate 

amount of payments for services is $600 or more in a calendar year. Generally, there is no 

information reporting required on many other types of transactions in the economy, including (a) 

payments not in the course of a trade or business, and (b) payments for purchases other than 

services. 

Reasons for Change

Payment cards (both credit cards and debit cards) are an increasingly common form of payment 

to many merchants for property and services rendered. Some merchants fail to report accurately 

their gross income, including income derived from payment card transactions. Generally, 

compliance increases significantly for amounts that a third party reports to the IRS. 

Proposal

The proposal would require the institution that makes the payment to the merchant (i.e., the 

seller) for a card transaction (for example, the merchant acquiring bank) to make an annual 

information report to the IRS. 

Generally, the reporting institution would be the bank or central organization to which the 

merchant sends payment card transactions for actual payment. The report would state the net 

total amount paid to the merchant during a calendar year. The report would reflect appropriate 

adjustments for amounts that represent cash advances made by the merchant via the payment 

card or other amounts not included in the merchant’s gross income. Where an electronic 

payment facilitator or other third party processes payments between a merchant acquiring bank 

and a merchant, the third party would be subject to the information reporting requirement. 

Similarly, if payment card transactions of several merchants are aggregated, the intermediary 

acting on behalf of the merchants and actually making the payment to the merchants also would 

have to report. In that case, the bank (or central organization) would report only as to the 

intermediary. 

The proposal would grant regulatory authority to allow exceptions from the requirements where 

the benefit of improved compliance from information reporting is outweighed by the cost of 

compliance, and to prevent double reporting of amounts potentially reported under other 

provisions. 

65
The proposal would exclude the payments reportable hereunder from back-up withholding if the 

paying institution has validated the merchant’s Taxpayer Identification Number in a prescribed 

manner. 

The proposal would be effective for payments made on or after January 1, 2010. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 190 688 1,193 1,637 2,027 5,735 18,730 

66
REQUIRE A CERTIFIED TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER FROM 

CONTRACTORS 

Current Law

In the course of a trade or business, service recipients (“businesses”) making payments 

aggregating to $600 or more in a calendar year to any non-employee service provider 

(“contractor”) that is not a corporation are required to send an information return to the IRS 

setting forth the amount, as well as name, address, and taxpayer identification number (TIN) of 

the contractor. The information returns, required annually after the end of the year, are made on 

Form 1099-MISC based on identifying information furnished by the contractor but not verified 

by the IRS. Copies are provided both to the contractor and to the IRS. Withholding is not 

required or permitted for payments to contractors. Since contractors are not subject to 

withholding, they may be required to make quarterly payments of estimated income taxes and 

self-employment (SECA) taxes near the end of each calendar quarter. The contractor is required 

to pay any balance due when the annual income tax return is subsequently filed. 

Reasons for Change

Estimated tax filing is relatively burdensome, especially for less sophisticated and lower-income 

taxpayers. Moreover, by the time estimated tax payments (or final tax payments) are due, some 

contractors will not have put aside the necessary funds. Given that the SECA tax rate is 15.3 

percent (up to certain income limits), the required tax payments can be more than 25 percent of a 

contractor’s gross receipts, even for a contractor with modest income. 

An optional withholding method for contractors would reduce the burdens of having to make 

quarterly payments, would help contractors automatically set aside funds for tax payments, and 

would help increase compliance. 

Proposal

A contractor receiving payments of $600 or more in a calendar year from a particular business 

would be required to furnish to the business (on Form W-9) the contractor’s certified Taxpayer 

Identification Number (TIN). A business would be required to verify the contractor’s TIN with 

the IRS, which would be authorized to disclose, solely for this purpose, whether the certified 

TIN-name combination matches IRS records. If a contractor fails to furnish an accurate certified 

TIN, the business would be required to withhold a flat rate percentage of gross payments. 

Contractors receiving payments of $600 or more in a calendar year from a particular business 

could require the business to withhold a flat rate percentage of their gross payments, with the flat 

rate percentage of 15, 25, 30, or 35 percent being selected by the contractor. 

The proposal would be effective for payments made to contractors on or after January 1, 2009. 

67
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 3 49 60 66 70 248 661 

68
REQUIRE INCREASED INFORMATION REPORTING FOR CERTAIN 

GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS FOR PROPERTY AND SERVICES 

Current Law

Businesses, governments, and other taxpayers are subject to a number of information reporting 

and withholding requirements. Generally, a taxpayer making payments aggregating to $600 or 

more for services or determinable gains in the course of a trade or business in a calendar year is 

required to send an information return to the IRS (except if the recipient is a corporation) setting 

forth the amount, as well as the name and address of the recipient of the payment (generally on 

Form 1099). In addition, any service recipient engaged in a trade or business is required to file 

an information return if the aggregate of payments for services is $600 or more in a calendar 

year. This requirement specifically applies to government agencies, even if the service provider 

is a corporation. Moreover, Federal agencies must file information returns with respect to 

contractors, generally on Form 8596 (Information Return for Federal Contracts) and Form 

8596A (Quarterly Transmittal of Information Returns for Federal Contracts). Under recently 

enacted legislation that will take effect in 2011, Federal, State and local government agencies 

generally must withhold 3 percent of payments for goods and services. Exceptions apply to 

certain payments such as those actually subjected to backup withholding, wages and public 

assistance. 

Reasons for Change

Generally, compliance increases significantly for payments that a third party reports to the IRS. 

Some government vendors fail to meet their tax filing and payment obligations. 

Proposal

The IRS and Treasury Department would be authorized to promulgate regulations requiring 

information reporting on all non-wage payments by Federal, State and local governments to 

procure property and services. It is expected that certain categories of payments would be 

excluded from the new information reporting requirements, including payments of interest, 

payments for real property, payments to tax-exempt entities or foreign governments, 

intergovernmental payments, and payments made pursuant to a classified or confidential 

contract. The proposal would be effective for payments made on or after January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 26 105 108 27 0 266 266 

69
INCREASE INFORMATION RETURN PENALTIES 

Current Law

There are a number of information reporting requirements under the Code. When these 

requirements are not followed, penalties may apply based on whether and when a correct 

information return is filed. If a person subject to the information reporting requirements files a 

correct information return after the prescribed filing date, but on or before the date that is thirty 

days after the prescribed filing date, the amount of the penalty is $15 per return (the “first-tier 

penalty”), not to exceed $75,000 per calendar year. If such a person files a correct information 

return more than thirty days after the prescribed filing date but on or before August 1, the amount 

of the penalty is $30 per return (the “second-tier penalty”), not to exceed $150,000 per calendar 

year. If such a person does not file a correct information return on or before August 1, the 

amount of the penalty is $50 per return (the “third-tier penalty”), not to exceed $250,000 in a 

calendar year. For certain small filers whose average annual gross receipts do not exceed 

$5,000,000, the maximum calendar year limit is $25,000 (instead of $75,000) for the first-tier 

penalty, $50,000 (instead of $150,000) for the second-tier penalty, and $100,000 (instead of 

$250,000) for the third-tier penalty. If a failure is due to intentional disregard of a filing 

requirement, the minimum penalty for each failure is $100, with no calendar year limit. 

Reasons for Change

Generally, compliance increases significantly with respect to amounts reported on information 

returns. In some cases, filers may have failed to comply with existing information reporting 

requirements because the amount of the potentially applicable penalties is too small to 

discourage non-compliance. Increasing the penalty amounts, which were established in 1989 

and have not been increased, will help to ensure the timely filing of accurate information returns. 

Proposal

The first-tier penalty would be increased from $15 to $30, and the calendar year maximum 

would be increased from $75,000 to $250,000. The second-tier penalty would be increased from 

$30 to $60, and the calendar year maximum would be increased from $150,000 to $500,000. 

The third-tier penalty would be increased from $50 to $100, and the calendar year maximum 

would be increased from $250,000 to $1,500,000. For small filers, the calendar year maximum 

would be increased from $25,000 to $75,000 for the first-tier penalty, from $50,000 to $200,000 

for the second-tier penalty, and from $100,000 to $500,000 for the third-tier penalty. The 

minimum penalty for each failure due to intentional disregard would be increased from $100 to 

$250. 

The proposal would be effective for information returns required to be filed on or after January 

1, 2009. 

70
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 10 40 41 41 42 174 391 

 

71
IMPROVE THE FOREIGN TRUST REPORTING PENALTY 

 

Current Law 

Generally, the tax law requires certain persons to report information to the IRS with respect to a 

foreign trust. There is a civil penalty applicable to persons who fail to file a timely return as 

required or who file an incomplete or incorrect return. Generally, the penalty is equal to 35 

percent of the “gross reportable amount,” which is defined as the gross value of property 

involved in a reportable event such as a gratuitous transfer to the trust, the gross value of the 

portion of the trust’s assets at the close of the year that is treated as owned by a United States 

person, or the gross amount of distributions received from the trust. In the case of a failure to 

report that continues for more than 90 days after the IRS mails notice of such failure, the penalty 

(in addition to the 35 percent penalty), is $10,000 for each 30-day period (or fraction thereof) 

during which the failure continues. The total penalty with respect to any failure may not exceed 

the gross reportable amount. 

 

Reasons for Change 

In many instances, the IRS obtains information relating to the creation of a foreign trust from 

third parties, or the IRS discovers funding of a foreign trust from public records. Without the 

cooperation of persons actually involved with the trust, however, it is often difficult for the IRS 

to determine the gross reportable amount. If the IRS cannot determine the gross reportable 

amount, the IRS may not be able to assess the penalties, including the $10,000 penalty for 

continued failure to report. The current penalty regime therefore may create an incentive for 

persons subject to the reporting requirement not to report or cooperate with the IRS in the hope 

that the IRS will not be able to determine the gross reportable amount, which is essential to 

presenting a prima facie case sufficient to meet the section 7491(c) burden of production to 

support the penalty. 

Proposal

The penalty provision would be amended to impose an initial penalty of the greater of $10,000 or 

35 percent of the gross reportable amount (if the gross reportable amount is known). The 

additional $10,000 penalty for continued failure to report would remain unchanged. Thus, even 

if the gross reportable amount is not known, the IRS may impose a $10,000 penalty on a person 

who fails to report timely or correctly as required and may impose a $10,000 penalty for each 30-

day period (or fraction thereof) that the failure to report continues. If the person subsequently 

provides enough information for the IRS to determine the gross reportable amount, the total 

penalties would be capped at that amount and any excess penalty already paid could be refunded. 

Accordingly, a person can stop the compounding of penalties by cooperating with the IRS so that 

it can determine the gross reportable amount. The proposal would be effective for information 

reports required to be filed on or after January 1, 2009. 

72
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 

73
Improve Compliance by Businesses 

REQUIRE E-FILING BY CERTAIN LARGE ORGANIZATIONS 

Current Law

Effective for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2005, corporations with assets of $10 

million or more filing Form 1120 are required to file Schedule M-3 (Net Income (Loss) 

Reconciliation for Corporations with Total Assets of $10 Million or More). Effective for tax 

years ending on or after December 31, 2006, this Schedule M-3 filing requirement also applies to 

S corporations, life insurance corporations, property and casualty insurance corporations and 

cooperative associations filing various versions of Form 1120 and having $10 million or more in 

assets. Schedule M-3 is also required for partnerships with assets of $10 million or more and 

certain other partnerships. 

Corporations and tax-exempt organizations that have assets of $10 million or more and file at 

least 250 returns during a calendar year, including income tax, information, excise tax, and 

employment tax returns, are required to file electronically their Form 1120/1120S income tax 

returns and Form 990 information returns for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2006. In 

addition, private foundations and charitable trusts that file at least 250 returns during a calendar 

year are required to file electronically their Form 990-PF information returns for tax years ending 

on or after December 31, 2006, regardless of their asset size. Taxpayers can request waivers of 

the electronic filing requirement if they cannot meet that requirement due to technological 

constraints, or if compliance with the requirement would result in undue financial burden on the 

taxpayer. Although electronic filing is required of certain corporations and other taxpayers, 

others may convert voluntarily to electronic filing. 

Generally, regulations may require electronic filing by taxpayers (other than individuals, estates 

and trusts) that file at least 250 returns annually. Before requiring electronic filing, the IRS and 

Treasury Department must take into account the ability of taxpayers to comply at a reasonable 

cost. 

Reasons for Change

Generally, compliance increases when taxpayers are required to provide better information to the 

IRS in usable form. Large organizations with assets of $10 million or more generally maintain 

financial records in electronic form, and generally either hire tax professionals who use tax 

preparation software or use tax preparation software themselves although they may not currently 

file electronically. 

Electronic filing supports the IRS’ broader goals of improving service to taxpayers, enhancing 

compliance, and modernizing tax administration. Overall, increased electronic filing of returns 

may improve customer satisfaction and confidence in the filing process, and it may be more cost 

effective for affected entities. Expanding electronic filing to certain additional large entities will 

help provide tax return information in a more uniform electronic form. This will enhance the 

74
ability of the IRS to more productively focus its audit activities. This can reduce burdens on 

businesses where the need for an audit can be avoided. 

In the case of a large business, adopting the same standard for electronic filing as for filing 

Schedule M-3 provides simplification benefits. 

Proposal

All corporations and partnerships required to file Schedule M-3 would be required to file their 

tax returns electronically. In the case of certain other large taxpayers not required to file 

Schedule M-3 (such as exempt organizations), the regulatory authority to require electronic filing 

would be expanded to allow reduction of the current threshold of filing 250 or more returns 

during a calendar year. Nevertheless, any new regulations would balance the benefits of 

electronic filing against any burden that might accrue to taxpayers, and implementation would 

take place incrementally to afford adequate time for transition to electronic filing. Taxpayers 

would be able to request waivers of this requirement if they cannot meet the requirement due to 

technological constraints, if compliance with the requirement would result in undue financial 

burden, or if other criteria specified in regulations are met. 

The provision would be effective for tax years ending after December 31, 2008. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

75
IMPLEMENT STANDARDS CLARIFYING WHEN EMPLOYEE LEASING 

COMPANIES CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR THEIR CLIENTS’ FEDERAL 

EMPLOYMENT TAXES 

Current Law

Employers are required to withhold and pay Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) and 

income taxes, and are required to pay Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes 

(collectively “Federal employment taxes”) with respect to wages paid to their employees. 

Liability for Federal employment taxes generally lies with the taxpayer that is determined to be 

the employer under a multi-factor common law test or under specific statutory provisions. For 

example, a third party that is not the common law employer can be a statutory employer if the 

third party has control over the payment of wages. In addition, certain designated agents are 

jointly and severally liable with their principals for employment taxes with respect to wages paid 

to the principals’ employees. These designated agents prepare and file employment tax returns 

using their own name and employer identification number. In contrast, reporting agents (often 

referred to as payroll service providers) are generally not liable for the employment taxes 

reported on their clients’ returns. Reporting agents prepare and file employment tax returns for 

their clients using the client’s name and employer identification number. 

Employee leasing is the practice of contracting with an outside business to handle certain 

administrative, personnel, and payroll matters for a taxpayer’s employees. Employee leasing 

companies (often referred to as professional employer organizations) typically prepare and file 

employment tax returns for their clients using the leasing company’s name and employer 

identification number, often taking the position that the leasing company is the statutory or 

common law employer of their clients’ workers. 

Reasons for Change

Under present law, there is often uncertainty as to whether the employee leasing company or its 

client is liable for unpaid Federal employment taxes arising with respect to wages paid to the 

client’s workers. Thus, when an employee leasing company files employment tax returns using 

its own name and employer identification number, but fails to pay some or all of the taxes due, or 

when no returns are filed with respect to wages paid by a taxpayer that uses an employee leasing 

company, there can be uncertainty as to how the Federal employment taxes are assessed and 

collected. 

Providing standards for when an employee leasing company and its clients will be held liable for 

Federal employment taxes will facilitate the assessment, payment and collection of those taxes 

and will preclude taxpayers who have control over withholding and payment of those taxes from 

denying liability when the taxes are not paid. 

Proposal

Under the proposal, standards would be set forth for holding employee leasing companies jointly 

and severally liable with their clients for Federal employment taxes. The proposal would also 

76
provide standards for holding employee leasing companies solely liable for such taxes if they 

meet specified requirements. 

The provision would be effective for employment tax returns required to be filed with respect to 

wages paid on or after January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 3 5 5 5 6 24 57 

77
 Strengthen Tax Administration 

EXPAND IRS ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN THE NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF 

NEW HIRES FOR TAX ADMINISTRATION PURPOSES 

Current Law

The Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Department of Health and Human Services 

(HHS) maintains the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), which is a database that 

contains newly-hired employee data from Form W-4, quarterly wage data from State and Federal 

employment security agencies and unemployment benefit data from State unemployment 

insurance agencies. The NDNH was created to help State child support enforcement agencies 

enforce obligations of parents across State lines. 

Under current provisions of the Social Security Act, the IRS may obtain data from the NDNH, 

but only for the purpose of administering the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and verifying 

employment reported on a tax return. 

Generally, the IRS obtains employment and unemployment data less frequently than quarterly, 

and there are significant internal costs of preparing these data for use. Under various State laws, 

the IRS may negotiate for access to employment and unemployment data directly from State 

agencies that maintain these data. 

Reasons for Change

Employment data are useful to the IRS in administering a wide range of tax provisions beyond 

the EITC, including verifying taxpayer claims and identifying levy sources. Currently, the IRS 

may obtain employment and unemployment data on a State-by-State basis, which is a costly and 

time-consuming process. NDNH data are timely, uniformly compiled, and electronically 

accessible. Access to the NDNH would increase the productivity of the IRS by reducing the 

amount of IRS resources dedicated to obtaining and processing data without reducing the current 

levels of taxpayer privacy. 

Proposal

The Social Security Act would be amended to expand IRS access to NDNH data for general tax 

administration purposes, including data matching, verification of taxpayer claims during return 

processing, preparation of substitute returns for non-compliant taxpayers, and identification of 

levy sources. Data obtained by the IRS from the NDNH would be protected by existing taxpayer 

privacy law, including civil and criminal sanctions. The proposal would be effective upon 

enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

78
PERMIT DISCLOSURE OF PRISON TAX SCAMS 

Current Law

Generally, tax return information is confidential, unless a specific exception in the tax Code 

applies. None of the exceptions currently in the Code permits the IRS to refer inmate tax 

violations to prison officials for imposition of administrative sanctions. Thus, if the IRS has 

information about tax violations by inmates, the IRS cannot disclose return information to prison 

officials to impose administrative sanctions for tax-related misconduct. Where the Code permits 

a government entity to receive return information, the recipient generally must observe 

prescribed safeguards that require secure storage, restricted access, reports to IRS, and shredding 

or other proper disposal. See, e.g., IRS Publication 1075. Criminal and civil sanctions apply to 

unauthorized disclosure of return information. 

Reasons for Change

There are an increasing number of fraudulent refund claims filed by prisoners. Tax violations by 

inmates create a broad perception regarding non-compliance and are a significant tax 

enforcement problem. Prison officials could take administrative steps to curtail such conduct if 

the IRS were authorized to disclose information about fraudulent tax schemes advanced by 

inmates. Criminal prosecutions or injunction suits against prisoners are resource-intensive and 

often not as effective at curtailing tax violations by inmates as through administrative sanctions 

imposed by prison officials. 

Proposal

The IRS would be authorized to disclose certain limited return information about tax violations 

by inmates so that specified Federal prison officials could punish and deter such conduct through 

administrative sanctions. The safeguard provisions as well as criminal and civil sanctions would 

apply. 

The proposal would authorize disclosures after December 31, 2008. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 

 

79
MAKE REPEATED WILLFUL FAILURE TO FILE A TAX RETURN A FELONY 

Current Law

Current law provides that willful failure to file a tax return is a misdemeanor punishable by a 

term of imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine of not more than $25,000 ($100,000 in 

the case of a corporation), or both. A taxpayer who fails to file returns for multiple years 

commits a separate misdemeanor offense for each year. 

Reasons for Change

Increased criminal penalties would help to deter multiple willful failures to file tax returns. 

Proposal

Any person who willfully fails to file tax returns in any three years within any five consecutive 

year period, if the aggregated tax liability for such period is at least $50,000, would be subject to 

a new aggravated failure to file criminal penalty. The proposal would classify such failure as a 

felony and, upon conviction, impose a fine of not more than $250,000 ($500,000 in the case of a 

corporation) or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. 

The proposal would be effective for returns required to be filed on or after January 1, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 0 1 1 2 7 

80
FACILITATE TAX COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS 

Current Law

Although Federal tax returns and return information (FTI) generally are confidential, the IRS and 

Treasury may share FTI with States as well as certain local government entities that are treated 

as States for this purpose. Generally, the purpose of information sharing is to facilitate tax 

administration. Where sharing of FTI is authorized, reciprocal provisions generally authorize 

disclosure of information to the IRS by State and local governments. State and local 

governments that receive FTI must safeguard it according to prescribed protocols that require 

secure storage, restricted access, reports to IRS, and shredding or other proper disposal. See, 

e.g., IRS Publication 1075. Criminal and civil sanctions apply to unauthorized disclosure or 

inspection of FTI. Indian Tribal Governments (ITGs) are treated as States by the tax law for 

several purposes, such as certain charitable contributions, excise tax credits, and local tax 

deductions, but not for purposes of information sharing. 

Reasons for Change

IRS and Treasury compliance activity, especially with respect to alcohol, tobacco and fuel excise 

taxes, may necessitate information sharing with ITGs. For example, the IRS may wish to 

confirm if a fuel supplier’s claim to have delivered particular amounts to adjacent jurisdictions is 

consistent with that reported to the IRS. If not, the IRS in conjunction with the ITG, which 

would have responsibility for administering taxes imposed by the ITG, can take steps to ensure 

compliance with both Federal and ITG tax laws. Where the local government is treated as a 

State for information sharing purposes, IRS, Treasury, and local officials can support each 

other’s efforts. Where the local government is not so treated, there is an impediment to 

compliance activity. 

Proposal

ITGs that impose alcohol, tobacco, or fuel excise or income or wage taxes would be treated as 

States for purposes of information sharing to the extent necessary for ITG tax administration. An 

ITG that receives FTI would be required to safeguard it according to prescribed protocols. The 

criminal and civil sanctions would apply. The proposal would be effective for disclosures made 

after enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 

81
EXTENSION OF STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS WHERE STATE TAX ADJUSTMENT 

AFFECTS FEDERAL TAX LIABILITY 

Current Law

In general, additional Federal tax liabilities in the form of tax, interest, penalties and additions to 

tax must be assessed by the IRS within three years after the date a return is filed. If an 

assessment is not made within the required time period, the additional liabilities generally cannot 

be assessed or collected at any future time. The tax Code contains exceptions to the general 

statute of limitations. In general, the statute of limitations with respect to claims for refund 

expires three years from the time the return was filed or two years from the time the tax was 

paid, whichever is later. 

State and local authorities employ a variety of statutes of limitations for State and local tax 

assessments. Pursuant to agreement, the IRS and State and local revenue agencies exchange 

reports of adjustments made through examination so that corresponding adjustments can be made 

by each taxing authority. In addition, State provide the IRS with reports of potential 

discrepancies between State returns and Federal returns. 

Reasons for Change

The general statute of limitations serves as a barrier to the effective use by the IRS of State and 

local tax adjustment reports when the reports are provided by the State or local revenue agency 

to the IRS with little time remaining for assessments to be made at the Federal level. Under the 

current statute of limitations framework, taxpayers may seek to extend the State statute of 

limitations or postpone agreement to State proposed adjustments until such time as the Federal 

statute of limitations expires in order to preclude assessment at the Federal level. In addition, it 

is not always the case that a taxpayer that files an amended State or local return reporting 

additional liabilities at the State or local level that also affect Federal tax liability will file an 

amended return at the Federal level. 

Proposal

The proposal would create an additional exception to the general three year statute of limitations 

for assessment of Federal tax liability resulting from adjustments to State or local tax liability. 

The statute of limitations would be extended the greater of: (1) one year from the date the 

taxpayer files an amended tax return with the IRS reflecting adjustments to the State or local tax 

return, or (2) two years from the date the IRS receives information from the State or local 

revenue agency under an information sharing agreement in place between the IRS and a State or 

local revenue agency. The statute of limitations would be extended only with respect to the 

increase in Federal tax attributable to the State or local tax adjustment. The statute of limitations 

on claims for refund would be extended correspondingly so that any overall increase in tax 

assessed by the IRS as a result of the State or local examination report would take into account 

agreed-upon tax decreases or reductions attributable to a refund or credit. The proposal would be 

effective for returns required to be filed after December 31, 2008. 

82
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 2 4 6 12 47 

83
IMPROVE INVESTIGATIVE DISCLOSURE STATUTE 

Current Law

Generally, tax return information is confidential, unless a specific exception in the tax Code 

applies. In the case of tax administration, the Code permits Treasury and IRS officers and 

employees to disclose return information to the extent necessary to obtain information not 

otherwise reasonably available, in the course of an audit or investigation, as prescribed by 

regulation. Thus, for example, a revenue agent may identify himself or herself as affiliated with 

the IRS, and may disclose the nature and subject of an investigation, as necessary to elicit 

information from a witness in connection with that investigation. Criminal and civil sanctions 

apply to unauthorized disclosures of return information. 

Reasons for Change

Treasury Regulations effective since 2003 state that the term “necessary” in this context does not 

mean essential or indispensable, but rather appropriate and helpful in obtaining the information 

sought.18 In other contexts, a “necessary” disclosure is one without which performance cannot 

be accomplished reasonably without the disclosure.19 Determining if an investigative disclosure 

is “necessary” is inherently factual, leading to inconsistent opinions by the courts.20 Eliminating 

this uncertainty from the statute would facilitate investigations by IRS officers and employees, 

while setting forth clear guidance for taxpayers, thus enhancing compliance with the tax Code. 

Proposal

The taxpayer privacy law would be clarified by stating that it does not prohibit Treasury and IRS 

officers and employees from identifying themselves, their organizational affiliation, and the 

nature and subject of an investigation, when contacting third parties in connection with a civil or 

criminal tax investigation. 

The proposal would be effective for disclosure made after enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 1 1 1 3 10 

 

18 § 301.6103(k)(6)-1(c)(1). 

19 See, e.g., § 301.6103(n)-1(a). 20 Compare Snider v. United States, 468 F.3d 500 (8th Cir. 2006), with Gandy v. United States, 234 F.3d 281 (5th Cir. 

2000). 

84
Penalties 

IMPOSE PENALTY ON FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ELECTRONIC FILING 

REQUIREMENTS 

Current Law

Certain corporations and tax-exempt organizations (including certain charitable trusts and private 

foundations) are required to file their returns electronically. Generally, filing on paper instead of 

electronically is treated as a failure to file if electronic filing is required. Additions to tax are 

imposed for the failure to file tax returns reporting a liability. For failure to file a corporate 

return, the addition to tax is 5 percent on the amount required to be shown as tax due on the 

return, for the first month of failure, and an additional 5 percent for each month or part of a 

month thereafter, up to a maximum of 25 percent. 

For failure to file a tax-exempt organization return, the addition to tax is $20 a day for each day 

the failure continues. The maximum amount per return is $10,000 or 5 percent of the 

organization’s gross receipts for the year, whichever is less. Organizations with annual gross 

receipts exceeding $1 million, however, are subject to an addition to tax of $100 per day, with a 

maximum of $50,000. 

 

Reasons for Change

Although there are additions to tax for the failure to file returns, there is no specific penalty in 

the Code for a failure to comply with a requirement to file electronically. Because the addition 

to tax for failure to file a corporate return is based on an underpayment of tax, no addition is 

imposed if the corporation is in a refund, credit, or loss status. Thus, the existing addition to tax 

may not provide an adequate incentive for certain corporations to file electronically. Generally, 

electronic filing increases efficiency of tax administration because the provision of tax return 

information in an electronic form enables the IRS to focus audit activities where they can have 

the greatest impact. This also assists taxpayers where the need for audit is reduced. 

Proposal

An assessable penalty would be established for a failure to comply with a requirement of 

electronic (or other machine-readable) format for a return that is filed. The amount of the 

penalty would be $25,000 for a corporation or $5,000 for a tax-exempt organization. For failure 

to file in any format, the existing penalty would remain, and the proposed penalty would not 

apply. 

The proposal would be effective for returns required to be electronically filed on or after January 

1, 2009. 

85
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 0 0 1 1 6 

86
IMPROVE TAX ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROPOSALS 

MAKE SECTION 1203 OF THE IRS RESTRUCTURING AND REFORM ACT OF 1998 

MORE EFFECTIVE AND FAIR 

Current Law

Section 1203 of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA98) requires the 

Commissioner of Internal Revenue to terminate an employee for certain specifically enumerated 

violations committed by the employee in connection with the performance of the employee’s 

official duties. The Commissioner has non-delegable authority to determine whether mitigating 

factors support a personnel action other than termination for a covered violation. 

Reasons for Change

The proposal would enhance the IRS’ effectiveness by more carefully tailoring the types of 

conduct by IRS employees that are subject to sanctions, by reinforcing the seriousness with 

which covered violations will be handled, by providing clear guidance to IRS employees 

regarding covered conduct and associated penalties, and by allowing the imposition of penalties 

that are commensurate with specific violations. 

Current law requires the termination of an IRS employee for the failure to timely file tax returns, 

except when such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. An IRS 

employee who fails to timely file a refund return (i.e., for a tax year in which the employee is 

entitled to a refund) is subject to termination even though a taxpayer who files a refund return 

late generally is not subject to any penalty. Late-filed refund return cases constitute a significant 

percentage of the section 1203 cases handled to date. These cases do not represent the type of 

serious conduct for which termination under section 1203 should apply. In addition, a number of 

section 1203 cases have involved allegations of wrongful conduct by IRS employees against 

other IRS employees. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has recommended 

that these types of cases be removed from the list of violations covered by section 1203. Such 

allegations can be addressed by existing administrative and statutory procedures. The proposal 

would eliminate late refund returns and employee versus employee acts from the list of covered 

violations. The proposal also would strengthen taxpayer protections by enhancing the 

Commissioner’s ability to punish the unauthorized access of taxpayer return information. 

Current law requires termination for any covered violation unless the Commissioner personally 

determines that mitigating factors justify some other personnel action. The proposal would 

require the Commissioner to establish guidelines outlining specific penalties, up to and including 

termination, for specific types of covered violations. These guidelines will provide notice to IRS 

employees of the punishment that would result from specific violations. This change would 

improve IRS employee morale and enhance the fundamental fairness of the statute. 

87
Proposal

The proposal would modify section 1203 of RRA98 by (i) removing the late filing of refund 

returns from the list of violations; (ii) removing employee versus employee acts (i.e., for 

violation of an employee’s, rather than a taxpayer’s, Constitutional or civil rights) from the list of 

violations; and (iii) adding the unauthorized inspection of returns or return information to the list 

of violations. In addition, the proposal would require the Commissioner to establish guidelines 

outlining specific penalties, up to and including termination, for specific types of wrongful 

conduct covered by section 1203 of RRA98. The Commissioner would retain the nondelegable 

authority to determine whether mitigating factors support a personnel action other than that 

specified in the guidelines for a covered violation. 

The proposal would be effective upon enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

 

88
ALLOW FOR THE TERMINATION OF INSTALLMENT AGREEMENTS FOR 

FAILURE TO FILE RETURNS AND FOR FAILURE TO MAKE DEPOSITS 

Current Law

The IRS may terminate an agreement with a taxpayer to pay a tax liability in installments only 

for specific statutory reasons. These statutory reasons do not include a taxpayer’s failure to file 

required returns or a taxpayer’s failure to make required tax deposits. 

Reasons for Change

IRS administrative procedures specify that installment agreements contain a provision requiring 

taxpayers to meet all return filing and deposit obligations during the term of the agreement. This 

provision is intended to ensure that the privilege of paying a tax liability in installments is 

extended only to those taxpayers willing to commit to future compliance. The installment 

agreement statute, however, does not allow the IRS to terminate an agreement even if a taxpayer 

fails to file required returns or fails to make required Federal tax deposits. Thus, the taxpayer 

may incur significant additional unpaid tax liability before the IRS can terminate the agreement. 

Proposal

The proposal would permit the IRS to terminate an installment agreement if the taxpayer fails to 

timely file tax returns or if a taxpayer fails to timely make required Federal tax deposits. 

The proposal would be effective for failures occurring on or after the date of enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

89
ELIMINATE THE MONETARY THRESHOLD FOR COUNSEL REVIEW OF OFFERS 

IN COMPROMISE 

Current Law

Whenever a compromise is reached between the IRS and a taxpayer under section 7122, a record 

of the compromise must be placed on file along with an opinion from the IRS Office of Chief 

Counsel. The opinion of Chief Counsel is not required when the total liability, including 

penalties and interest, is less than $50,000. All compromises, regardless of amount, are subject 

to continuous quality review by the Secretary. 

Reasons for Change

The proposal would allow the IRS to more efficiently direct resources for offer in compromise 

(OIC) cases while retaining existing quality review procedures. Many OIC cases do not present 

any significant legal issues, and the required legal review for cases meeting the statutory 

threshold can delay the acceptance process under current administrative procedures. The 

proposal would require the establishment of criteria for determining when review by Chief 

Counsel is appropriate. By retaining the requirement of continuous quality review by the 

Secretary, this proposal would insure that the overall quality of case dispositions does not 

decline. 

Proposal

The proposal would eliminate the requirement that the opinion of Chief Counsel be placed on 

file for any accepted offer in compromise involving unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest equal to 

or exceeding $50,000. This proposal would require the Secretary to establish standards for 

determining when an opinion of Chief Counsel must be obtained. The proposal would be 

effective for offers in compromise submitted or pending on or after the date of enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

90
 EXTEND IRS AUTHORITY TO FUND UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS 

Current Law

The IRS is authorized to use proceeds it receives from undercover operations to offset necessary 

and reasonable expenses incurred in such operations. The IRS’ authority to use proceeds from 

undercover operations expired on December 31, 2007. 

Reasons for Change

The IRS’ authority to use proceeds from undercover operations places the IRS on equal footing 

with other Federal law enforcement agencies. The IRS uses this authority to facilitate long-term, 

complicated criminal investigations, including investigations of international money laundering 

activities that often are connected to terrorism. The expiration of this authority would disrupt 

ongoing investigations. An extension would preserve the IRS’ ability to pursue these important 

criminal investigations. 

Proposal

The proposal would extend the IRS’ authority to use the proceeds received from undercover 

operations through December 31, 2012. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

91
INCREASE TRANSPARENCY OF THE COST OF EMPLOYER-PROVIDED HEALTH 

COVERAGE 

Current Law

Generally, there is no requirement to report the value of employer-provided benefits that are 

excluded from gross income, including employer-provided coverage under an accident and 

health plan excluded from income under section 106(a). Nevertheless, some employers 

voluntarily report some or all excludible benefits provided to employees in box 14 of Form W-2, 

including excludible health benefits. 

Under section 4980B, an employer of 20 or more employees providing employees with health 

coverage under a group health plan must provide continuation coverage in the event of the loss 

of coverage due to a qualifying event. The employer may require individuals electing to 

continue coverage under the group health plan to pay a premium for that coverage. The Code 

provides specific requirements for self-insured plans with regard to the determination of the 

premium for the continuation coverage. 

Reasons for Change

Many employees are unaware of the value of health coverage provided by their employers. This 

lack of transparency may result in inefficient choices of health coverage, including 

overconsumption of health coverage by employees. 

Proposal

Employers providing health coverage to employees and their families would be required to 

report on the Form W-2 provided to employees and the IRS the value of the health coverage 

provided to the employee. To the extent the employee receives coverage under multiple plans, 

the employer would provide the aggregate value (excluding the value of a health flexible 

spending arrangement). Thus, an employee receiving coverage under a major medical plan, a 

dental plan, and a vision plan would only have the total amount reported. Contributions to 

Archer Medical Savings Accounts and Healthcare Savings Accounts, which are already 

separately reported, would not be included in the amount reported as health coverage. 

For this purpose, employers would generally use the same value for all similarly situated 

employees receiving the same category (such as self-only or family) of coverage. Thus, the 

value of health coverage for all employees receiving family coverage on the same terms from the 

same plan would be the same, regardless of the health of the employee and his or her family or 

the receipt of health care by the employee and his or her family. It is expected that the amount 

reported as the value of coverage would be determined using the same methodology as the 

applicable premium for purposes of Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) 

continuation coverage under section 4980B. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

92
CONFORM PENALTY STANDARDS BETWEEN PREPARERS AND TAXPAYERS 

Current Law

Recently enacted legislation modified the standards of conduct that must be met to avoid 

imposition of penalties for preparing a return with respect to which there is an understatement of 

tax. For undisclosed positions, a tax return preparer must have a reasonable belief that the 

position would more likely than not be sustained on the merits. For disclosed positions, there 

must be a reasonable basis for the position. There is no penalty if the preparer has reasonable 

cause and good faith with respect to the position taken on the return.

Taxpayers are subject to a variety of accuracy-related penalties for underpayments of tax. For 

undisclosed positions that do not involve a significant purpose of tax avoidance or certain 

reportable transactions, taxpayers may avoid accuracy-related penalties if there is or was 

substantial authority for the position that caused the understatement of tax. For positions 

involving tax shelters and certain reportable transactions, the taxpayer must have a reasonable 

belief that the position would more likely than not be sustained on the merits. 

Reasons for Change

The increase in applicable standards in order for a preparer to take an undisclosed position on a 

return and avoid preparer penalties may result in conflicts of interest between preparers and their 

taxpayer clients. These conflicts should not be addressed by increasing the standards generally 

applicable to taxpayers to avoid accuracy-related penalties because such an increase would 

present significant administrative concerns and would result in unfair application of the 

accuracy-related penalty. In addition, the more likely than not standard for preparers presents 

concerns when applied to many routine reporting positions. 

Proposal

The standard applicable to preparers when taking a position not disclosed on a return would be 

the substantial authority standard. Because the determination as to whether a transaction has a 

significant purpose of tax avoidance or evasion is inherently subjective to the taxpayer, the 

preparer standard applicable to tax shelters would also be substantial authority. However, a 

preparer would be required to have a reasonable belief that the position would more likely than 

not be sustained on the merits when taking a position with respect to a transaction determined to 

have a potential for tax avoidance or evasion to which section 6662A applies. The standard 

applicable to preparers for disclosed positions would remain at reasonable basis. No penalty 

would be asserted against a preparer if the preparer has reasonable cause and good faith. 

The proposal would be effective for returns prepared after January 1, 2008. 

93
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 -1 -2 -2 -2 -7 -17 

94
ELIMINATE THE SPECIAL EXCLUSION FROM UNRELATED BUSINESS TAXABLE 

INCOME FOR GAIN OR LOSS ON THE SALE OR EXCHANGE OF CERTAIN 

BROWNFIELDS 

Current Law

In general, an organization that is otherwise exempt from Federal income tax is taxed on income 

from any trade or business regularly carried on by the organization that is not substantially 

related to the organization’s exempt purposes. Gains or losses from the sale, exchange or other 

disposition of property (other than stock in trade, inventory, or property held primarily for sale to 

customers in the ordinary course of the trade or business) generally are excluded from unrelated 

business taxable income. However, such amounts may be taxable if they are derived from 

property that is debt-financed. The amount of income that is taxable is determined based on the 

ratio of the outstanding indebtedness incurred by the organization in acquiring or improving the 

property to the adjusted basis of the property. The debt-financed income rules do not apply in 

the case of certain indebtedness, such as indebtedness that is incurred in the performance or 

exercise of the purpose or function constituting the basis for the organization’s exemption. 

The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (the Act) created a special exclusion from unrelated 

business taxable income of gain or loss from the sale or exchange of certain brownfield 

properties by a tax-exempt organization, whether the properties are held directly or indirectly 

through a partnership. For property to qualify for the exclusion, the property must be acquired 

during a five-year period beginning January 1, 2005 and ending December 31, 2009, although 

the property may be disposed of after that date. Certain certification requirements must be met. 

In addition, the exempt organization (or the partnership of which it is a partner) must spend a 

minimum amount on remediation expenses, which may be determined by averaging expenses 

across multiple qualifying brownfield properties for a period of up to eight years. 

The Act also created a special exception to the debt-financed property rules for qualifying 

brownfield properties. Thus, gain or loss from the sale or exchange of qualifying brownfield 

properties is not taxed even if the exempt organization (or partnership) incurred debt to acquire 

or improve the property. 

Reasons for Change

The special exclusion adds considerable complexity to the Code and is difficult to administer. In 

addition, there are concerns about the effectiveness of the provision because there is no limit on 

the amount of gain that is exempt from unrelated business income tax. The special exclusion 

could exempt from income tax real estate development considerably beyond mere environmental 

remediation. 

Proposal

The proposal would eliminate this special exclusion effective for taxable years beginning after 

December 31, 2008. 

95
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 2 13 16 13 11 55 66 

96
LIMIT RELATED PARTY INTEREST DEDUCTIONS 

Current Law

Section 163(j) applies to limit the deductibility of certain interest paid by a corporation to related 

persons (“disqualified interest”). Disqualified interest for these purposes generally means 

interest paid or accrued by a corporation to a related person if such interest income is not subject 

to Federal income tax. Disqualified interest also includes interest paid or accrued by a 

corporation to an unrelated person if the underlying indebtedness is guaranteed by a related 

foreign person or tax exempt organization and such interest is not subject to U.S. withholding 

tax. The limitations of section 163(j) only apply to a corporation with a debt-to-equity ratio that 

exceeds 1.5 to 1. If such a corporation has net interest expense that exceeds 50 percent of its 

adjusted taxable income (computed by adding back net interest expense, depreciation, 

amortization and depletion, and any net operating loss deduction), no deduction is allowed for 

disqualified interest in excess of the 50-percent limit. Interest that is disallowed in a taxable year 

under section 163(j) may be carried forward for deduction in a future year; there is no time limit 

on this carryforward. In addition, excess limitation (i.e., the amount by which the corporation’s 

50-percent limit exceeds its net interest expense for a taxable year) may be carried forward up to 

three years. 

Section 7874 provides special rules for expatriated entities and their foreign acquirers (“surrogate 

foreign corporations”). These rules apply as a result of certain defined inversion transactions in 

which a U.S. parent company is replaced with a foreign parent. The tax treatment of expatriated 

entities and their surrogate foreign corporations varies depending on the extent of continuity of 

ownership following the inversion transaction. The surrogate foreign corporation is treated as a 

domestic corporation for all purposes of the Code if the ownership continuity is at least 80 

percent, determined by vote or value. If the ownership continuity is at least 60 percent, but less 

than 80 percent, the surrogate foreign corporation is treated as a foreign corporation but any 

applicable corporate-level income or gain required to be recognized by the expatriated entity 

generally cannot be offset by tax attributes. The provision applies to taxable years ending after 

March 4, 2003. 

Reasons for Change

Under current law, opportunities are available to reduce inappropriately the U.S. tax on income 

earned from U.S. operations through the use of foreign related-party debt. In its recent study of 

earnings stripping,21 the Treasury Department found strong evidence of the use of such 

techniques by inverted companies. Consequently, amending the rules of section 163(j) for 

inverted companies is necessary to prevent these inappropriate income-reduction opportunities. 

Because the study did not find conclusive evidence of earnings stripping by foreign-controlled 

domestic corporations that have not inverted, additional information is needed to determine 

whether any change to section 163(j) should be made with respect to those companies. The new 

Form 8926, Disqualified Corporate Interest Expense Disallowed Under Section 163(j) and 

Related Information, should assist the Treasury Department in obtaining this information. 

 

21 Report to the Congress on Earnings Stripping, Transfer Pricing and U.S. Income Tax Treaties, (November 2007). 

97
Proposal

Section 163(j) would be revised to tighten the limitation on the deductibility of interest paid by 

“expatriated entities” to related persons. The current law 1.5 to 1 debt-to-equity safe harbor 

would be eliminated. The adjusted taxable income threshold for the limitation would be reduced 

from 50 percent to 25 percent of adjusted taxable income with respect to disqualified interest 

other than interest paid to unrelated parties on debt that is subject to a related-party guarantee 

(“guaranteed debt”). Interest on guaranteed debt generally would be subject to the current law 

50 percent of adjusted taxable income threshold. The indefinite carryforward for disallowed 

interest under the adjusted taxable income limitation of current law would be limited to ten years. 

The 3-year carryforward of excess limitation would be eliminated. 

For this purpose, an expatriated entity would be defined by applying the rules of section 7874 

and the regulations thereunder as if section 7874 were applicable for taxable years beginning 

after July 10, 1989.22 These special rules, however, would not apply if the foreign acquirer of 

such an expatriated entity is treated as a domestic corporation for all purposes of the Code under 

section 7874. 

The proposal would be effective on the date of enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 64 109 115 120 126 534 1,267 

 

22 Section 163(j) is generally applicable to instruments issued after July 10, 1989, with a grandfather rule for 

acquisitions made (or subject to a binding contract) on or before July 10, 1989. 

98
REPEAL TELEPHONE EXCISE TAX ON LOCAL SERVICE 

Current Law 

The Code imposes a three-percent excise tax on amounts paid for taxable communications 

services, which include local telephone service and toll telephone service. Local telephone 

service is defined as access to a local telephone system and the privilege of telephonic 

communication with substantially all persons having telephones in the local system. Toll 

telephone service is defined to include both (1) telephonic quality communication for which 

there is a toll charge that varies in amount with the distance and elapsed transmission time of 

each individual call, and (2) telephone service that (a) provides the right to an unlimited number 

of telephone calls to points in a specified area that is outside the local telephone system and (b) is 

subject to a periodic charge determined either as a flat amount or upon the basis of total elapsed 

transmission time. 

Until the mid-1990’s, most long-distance charges were based on the time and distance of each 

call. Since then, the industry has shifted to charges based solely on time. The longstanding 

position of the IRS was that charges based solely on time were subject to tax. Service providers 

followed this position and collected the tax from their customers who began filing claims for 

refunds. When these claims for refunds were denied, taxpayers brought refund suits against the 

IRS. 

The government was uniformly unsuccessful in this litigation at the appellate level. American

Bankers Ins. Group v. United States, 408 F.3d 1328 (11th Cir. 2005); OfficeMax, Inc. v. United 

States, 428 F.3d 583 (6th Cir. 2005); Nat’l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. United States, 431 F.3d 374 

(D.C. Cir. 2005); Fortis v. United States, 447 F.3d 190 (2d Cir. 2006); and Reese Bros., Inc. v 

United States, 447 F.3d 229 (3d Cir. 2006) all hold that a telephonic communication for which 

there is a toll charge that varies with elapsed transmission time and not distance (time-only 

service) is not taxable toll telephone service. 

 

The IRS has announced that it will no longer litigate this issue. As a result, amounts paid for the 

service at issue in the litigation are not subject to tax. The IRS has also announced that, under 

the analysis in the cases cited above, taxpayers are no longer required to pay tax on similar 

services, such as plans that provide bundled local and long distance service for either a flat 

monthly fee or a charge that varies with the elapsed transmission time for which the service is 

used. As a result, the only communications services that remain subject to the tax are purely 

local telephone services. 

Reasons for Change 

It is likely that purely local telephone service will be replaced over time by nontaxable services 

and that, as this occurs, the poor and elderly will be the primary users of purely local service and 

will bear most of the burden of the telephone excise tax. 

99
Proposal 

All taxes on communications services, including the tax on local telephone service, would be 

repealed. The proposal would be effective for amounts paid pursuant to bills first rendered more 

than 90 days after enactment of legislation repealing the tax. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -248 -170 -118 -83 -79 -698 -1,076 

100
MODIFY FINANCING OF THE AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND 

Current Law 

The Airport and Airway Trust Fund is supported by taxes on air passenger transportation, 

domestic air freight transportation, and aviation fuel. The tax on domestic air passenger 

transportation is 7.5 percent of the amount paid for the transportation plus a segment fee of $3.50 

per segment. The tax on international air transportation is $15.40 on each international arrival or 

departure. Both the segment fee and the international arrival and departure fee are adjusted 

annually for inflation. The tax on domestic air freight transportation is 6.25 percent of the 

amount paid for the transportation. The tax on aviation fuel, to the extent dedicated to the 

Airport and Airway Trust Fund, is 4.3 cents per gallon for kerosene used in commercial aviation, 

21.8 cents per gallon for kerosene used in noncommercial (general) aviation, and 19.3 cents per 

gallon for aviation gasoline. The tax is generally imposed when the fuel is removed from a 

terminal. 

The taxes that support the Airport and Airway Trust Fund expire on February 29, 2008. The 

taxes on air transportation do not apply to amounts paid after February 29, 2008. The taxes on 

aviation fuel do not apply to fuel removed from a terminal after February 29, 2008. The 

authority to make expenditures from the Trust Fund for airport and airway programs also expires 

on February 29, 2008. 

Reasons for Change 

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) financing system should be more cost based. 

The current excise tax system, to the extent based on taxes on the amount paid for air 

transportation, does not provide a direct relationship between the taxes paid by users and the air 

traffic control services provided by the FAA. 

For noncommercial aviation, a fuel tax provides an appropriate method of recovering FAA costs 

for air traffic control services. In addition, fuel taxes are an appropriate source of support for 

FAA’s Airport Improvement Program. 

To provide for necessary Federal airport and airway expenditures until a cost-based system is 

developed, the aviation excise taxes and the expenditure authority from the Airport and Airway 

Trust Fund should be temporarily extended. 

Proposal 

The taxes on air transportation and aviation fuel would be extended through September 30, 2009, 

at their current rates. Beginning October 1, 2009, the FAA would collect user fees for air traffic 

control services provided to commercial aviation. The aviation fuel taxes would be modified and 

extended through September 30, 2018. The tax on aviation fuel, to the extent dedicated to the 

Airport and Airway Trust Fund, would be 13.6 cents per gallon for kerosene used in commercial 

aviation, 69.6 cents per gallon for kerosene used in noncommercial (general) aviation, and 69.6 

cents per gallon for aviation gasoline. Beginning October 1, 2012, the rates of tax on aviation 

101
fuel would be regularly adjusted as necessary to maintain the relationship between fuel tax 

collections and the costs of the FAA programs those taxes support. Expenditure authority from 

the Airport and Airway Trust Fund would be extended through September 30, 2018. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 -6,768 -7,106 -7,526 -7,909 -29,309 -75,594 

102
MODIFY FINANCING OF THE INLAND WATERWAYS TRUST FUND 

Current Law 

The Inland Waterways Trust Fund is supported by a 20-cents-per-gallon tax on liquids used as 

fuel in a vessel in commercial waterway transportation. Commercial waterway transportation is 

defined as any use of a vessel on any inland or intracoastal waterway of the United States (1) in 

the business of transporting property for compensation or hire or (2) in transporting property in 

the business of the owner, lessee, or operator of the vessel (other than fish or other aquatic 

animal life caught on the voyage). The inland or intracoastal waterways of the United States are 

the inland and intracoastal waterways of the United States described in section 206 of the Inland 

Waterways Revenue Act of 1978. Exceptions are provided for deep-draft ocean-going vessels, 

passenger vessels, State and local governments, and certain ocean-going barges. 

Reasons for Change 

The fuel excise tax does not raise enough revenue to pay for the construction and rehabilitation 

of the locks and dams that make barge transportation possible on inland and intracoastal 

waterways. Moreover, the tax is not the most efficient method for financing expenditures on 

those waterways. Adequate funding for inland and intracoastal waterways can be provided 

through a more efficient user fee system that is based on lock usage and is tied to the level of 

spending for inland waterways construction, replacement, expansion, and rehabilitation work. 

Proposal 

The tax on liquids used as fuel in a vessel in commercial waterway transportation would be 

phased out and replaced by a fee system based on lock usage. The tax rate would be reduced to 

10 cents per gallon beginning October 1, 2008, and to 5 cents per gallon beginning October 1, 

2009. The tax would be repealed for periods after September 30, 2010. The fee system based on 

lock usage would be phased in beginning on October 1, 2008, and would be completely phased 

in on October 1, 2011. For calendar years after 2012, the fee schedule would be adjusted as 

necessary to maintain an appropriate level of net assets in the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 109 119 127 159 126 640 1,015 

103
IMPROVE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 

STRENGTHEN THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT 

INSURANCE SYSTEM BY REDUCING IMPROPER BENEFIT PAYMENTS AND TAX 

AVOIDANCE 

Current Law 

The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) currently imposes a Federal payroll tax on 

employers of 6.2 percent of the first $7,000 paid annually to each employee. Generally, these 

funds support the administrative costs of the unemployment insurance system. Employers in 

States that meet certain Federal requirements are allowed a credit against FUTA taxes of up to 

5.4 percent, making the minimum net Federal rate 0.8 percent. States also impose an 

unemployment tax on employers. A State’s unemployment insurance taxes are first placed in the 

State’s own clearing account and then deposited into its Federal unemployment insurance trust 

fund from which the State pays unemployment benefits. State recoveries of overpayments of 

unemployment insurance benefits must be similarly deposited and used exclusively to pay 

unemployment benefits. 

While States may enact penalties for overpayments, amounts collected as penalties or interest on 

benefit overpayments may be treated as general receipts by the States. 

Reasons for Change 

States’ abilities to reduce overpayments and increase overpayment recoveries are limited by 

funding. The mandatory redeposit of the collection of unemployment benefits overpayments 

prevents States from redirecting these amounts to future recovery activity. The mandatory 

redeposit rule also limits the ability of States to use private collection agencies. Although States 

might use penalties or interest on overpayments to increase collections, there is no requirement 

that such amounts be directed for additional enforcement activities. 

Proposal 

The proposal would increase incentives for the recovery of State unemployment benefit 

overpayments and delinquent employer taxes. The proposal would allow States to redirect up to 

5 percent of overpayment recoveries to additional enforcement activity. The proposal would 

require States to impose a penalty of at least 15 percent on recipients of fraudulent 

overpayments, and penalty revenue would be used exclusively for additional enforcement 

activity. States would be prohibited from relieving an employer of benefit charges due to a 

benefit overpayment if the employer had caused the overpayment. In certain circumstances 

relating to fraudulent overpayment of delinquent employer taxes, States would be allowed to 

permit private collection agencies to retain a portion (up to 25 percent) of any amounts collected. 

At the request of a State, the Secretary of the Treasury would collect benefit overpayments due 

to a State from any income tax refund owed to a benefit recipient. The proposal would allow 

States to deposit up to 5 percent of moneys recovered in the course of an unemployment 

insurance tax investigation into a special fund dedicated to implementing the State 

105
Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) Dumping Prevention Act of 2004 or enforcing State laws 

relating to employer fraud or tax evasion. The proposal would require employers to report a 

“start work date” to the National Directory of New Hires for all new hires. Finally, the proposal 

would authorize the Secretary of Labor to waive certain requirements to allow States to conduct 

Demonstration Projects geared to reemployment of individuals eligible for unemployment 

benefits. 

The provisions of the act would be effective as of the date of enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 35 34 -107 -314 -352 -1,581 

106
EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SURTAX 

Current Law 

The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) currently imposes a Federal payroll tax on 

employers of 6.2 percent of the first $7,000 paid annually to each employee. The tax funds a 

portion of the Federal/State unemployment benefits system. This 6.2 percent rate includes a 

temporary surtax of 0.2 percent. States also impose an unemployment tax on employers. 

Employers in States that meet certain Federal requirements are allowed a credit for State 

unemployment taxes of up to 5.4 percent, making the minimum net Federal tax rate 0.8 percent. 

Generally, Federal and State unemployment taxes are collected quarterly and deposited in 

Federal trust fund accounts. 

In 1976, Congress passed a temporary surtax of 0.2 percent of taxable wages to be added to the 

permanent FUTA tax rate. Thus, the current 0.8 percent FUTA tax rate has two components: a 

permanent tax rate of 0.6 percent, and temporary surtax rate of 0.2 percent. The surtax has been 

extended several times, most recently through December 31, 2008, to build up reserves in the 

Federal trust accounts and thus to help avoid future funding problems in these accounts. 

Reasons for Change 

Extending the surtax will support the continued solvency of the Federal unemployment trust 

funds and maintain the ability of the unemployment system to adjust to any economic 

downturns. 

Proposal 

The proposal would extend the 0.2 percent surtax through December 31, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 1,079 465 0 0 0 1,544 590 

107
ENERGY PROVISIONS 

REPEAL REDUCED RECOVERY PERIOD FOR NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION 

LINES 

Current Law 

Pipelines used by utilities to distribute natural gas to their customers (natural gas distribution 

lines) placed in service before January 1, 2011, are assigned a statutory recovery period of 

15 years for purposes of the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) and a 

statutory class life of 35 years for purposes of the Alternative Depreciation System (ADS) 

applicable to certain property and for purposes of computing the alternative minimum tax. 

Natural gas distribution lines placed in service after December 31, 2010, will be assigned a 

20-year recovery period for purposes of MACRS and a 35-year class life for purposes of the 

ADS. 

Reasons for Change 

Because the 15-year MACRS recovery period for natural gas distribution lines benefits gas 

utilities rather than gas producers, it does not significantly add to our nation’s energy supplies 

over what the market would provide if the recovery period were 20 years. Moreover, the 15-year 

recovery period provides natural gas utilities with an unwarranted advantage over competitors 

such as electric utilities. 

Proposal 

The proposal would assign natural gas distribution lines a statutory recovery period of 20 years 

for purposes of the MACRS. The 35-year class life for purposes of the ADS would be retained. 

The proposal would be effective for natural gas distribution lines placed in service after 

December 31, 2008. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 20 73 114 110 89 406 580 

109
MODIFY AMORTIZATION FOR CERTAIN GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL 

EXPENDITURES 

Current Law 

Geological and geophysical expenditures are costs incurred for the purpose of obtaining and 

accumulating data that will serve as the basis for the acquisition and retention of mineral 

properties. The amortization period for geological and geophysical expenditures incurred in 

connection with oil and gas exploration in the United States is two years for independent 

producers and seven years for integrated oil and gas producers. 

Reasons for Change 

Current high energy prices provide significant incentives for investments in oil and gas 

exploration. Additional incentives in the form of accelerated amortization of geological and 

geophysical expenditures are not necessary. In addition, increasing the amortization period for 

geological and geophysical expenditures incurred by independent oil and gas producers from two 

years to seven years would provide more consistent tax treatment for all oil and gas producers. 

Proposal 

The proposal would increase the amortization period from two years to seven years for 

geological and geophysical expenditures incurred by independent producers in connection with 

all oil and gas exploration in the United States. Seven-year amortization would apply even if the 

property is abandoned and any remaining basis of the abandoned property would be recovered 

over the remainder of the seven-year period. The proposal would be effective for amounts paid 

or incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

16 61 91 76 43 19 290 353 

110
EXTEND EXPIRING PROVISIONS 

EXTEND MINIMUM TAX RELIEF FOR INDIVIDUALS 

Current Law

An individual is subject to an alternative minimum tax (AMT) to the extent the individual’s 

tentative minimum tax is greater than the regular tax liability. In computing the tentative 

minimum tax, taxable income is calculated differently than for regular tax purposes. Under the 

AMT, certain income items are included that are not included for regular tax purposes. Also, 

certain deductions, including State and local tax deductions, miscellaneous itemized deductions, 

and the standard deduction, are not permitted. A specified exemption amount, which varies by 

filing status but not by the number of personal exemptions and which phases out at higher 

income levels, is allowed. The regular tax personal exemptions for taxpayers and their 

dependents are not allowed in computing the AMT. Under the AMT, the tax rate is 26 percent 

on the first $175,000 ($87,500 if married filing separately) of AMT income, and 28 percent on 

any excess. 

Generally, for AMT purposes taxpayers are allowed to use most tax credits only to the extent 

their regular tax liability exceeds their tentative minimum tax. However, under provisions of the 

Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), before 2011, the child 

tax credit, the adoption credit, and the saver’s credit are not limited by the AMT, and the AMT 

does not reduce the earned income tax credit and the additional child tax credit. A series of 

temporary provisions which expired at the end of 2007 permitted individuals to reduce tax 

liability by the full amount of nonrefundable personal credits (such as the child and dependent 

care credit and the higher education credits) even if tax liability is reduced to an amount that is 

less than the individual’s tentative minimum tax. 

Temporary provisions which expired at the end of 2007 increased the AMT exemption amounts. 

For 2007, the exemptions were $44,350 for single and head of household filers, $66,250 for 

married taxpayers filing joint returns, and $33,125 for married taxpayers filing separate returns. 

Beginning in taxable year 2008, the exemption levels revert to their permanent levels of $33,750, 

$45,000, and $22,500, respectively. 

Reasons for Change

The Administration is concerned that the individual AMT may impose substantial burdens upon 

taxpayers who were not the originally intended targets of the individual AMT. Providing higher 

AMT exemption levels and allowing nonrefundable personal credits to be used in full for an 

additional year would avoid a significant increase in the number of taxpayers subject to the AMT 

in the near term. Substantially fewer taxpayers would need to perform the complex and tedious 

AMT computations. The Administration believes the longer term solution to the problems 

associated with the individual AMT is best addressed within the context of other reforms to the 

tax system. 

111
Proposal

The proposal would increase the AMT exemption levels for 2008 to $46,250 for single and head 

of household filers, $70,050 for married taxpayers filing joint returns, and $35,025 for married 

taxpayers filing separate returns. In addition, the proposal would allow an individual to reduce 

2008 tax liability by the full amount of nonrefundable personal credits even if tax liability is 

reduced to an amount that is less than the individual’s tentative minimum tax. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-11,673 -60,908 14,216 0 0 0 -46,692 -46,692 

112
PERMANENTLY EXTEND THE RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTATION (R&E) TAX 

CREDIT 

Current Law

The research and experimentation (R&E) tax credit is 20 percent of qualified research expenses 

above a base amount. The base amount is the product of the taxpayer’s “fixed base percentage” 

and the average of the taxpayer’s gross receipts for the four preceding years. The taxpayer’s 

fixed base percentage generally is the ratio of its research expenses to gross receipts for the 

1984-88 period. The base amount cannot be less than 50 percent of the taxpayer’s qualified 

research expenses for the taxable year. Taxpayers can elect into a three-tiered alternative credit 

that has lower credit rates (ranging from 2.65 to 3.75 percent) and lower statutory fixed base 

percentages (ranging from 1 to 2 percent). 

The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 extended the R&E credit for two years (through 

December 31, 2007) and modified the credit for qualified research expenses incurred after 

December 31, 2006. The first modification increases the range of rates for the alternative credit 

from 2.65 to 3.75 percent to 3 percent to 5 percent. The second modification provides a new 

simplified research credit equal to 12 percent of qualified research expenses that exceed 50 

percent of the average qualified research expenses for the three preceding taxable years. The rate 

is reduced to 6 percent if a taxpayer has no qualified research expenses in any one of the three 

preceding taxable years. An election to use the new credit applies to all succeeding taxable years 

unless revoked with the consent of the Secretary. 

Reasons for Change

The R&E tax credit encourages technological developments that are an important component of 

economic growth. However, uncertainty about the future availability of the R&E tax credit 

diminishes the incentive effect of the credit because it is difficult for taxpayers to factor the 

credit into decisions to invest in research projects that will not be initiated and completed prior to 

the credit’s expiration. To improve the credit’s effectiveness, the R&E tax credit should be made 

permanent. 

Proposal

The proposal would make the R&E credit permanent. 

In addition, the Administration is concerned that features of the R&E tax credit may limit its 

effectiveness in encouraging taxpayers to invest in R&E. The Administration will work closely 

with the Congress to develop and enact reforms to rationalize the R&E tax credit and improve its 

incentive effect. 

113
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-3,221 -7,071 -9,145 -10,601 -11,809 -12,833 -51,459 -133,060 

114
EXTEND THE FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER CREDIT FOR THE DISTRICT OF 

COLUMBIA 

Current Law

A one-time, nonrefundable $5,000 credit is available to purchasers of a principal residence in the 

District of Columbia who have not owned a residence in the District during the year preceding 

the purchase. The credit phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income between 

$70,000 and $90,000 ($110,000 and $130,000 for joint returns). 

The credit does not apply to purchases after December 31, 2007. 

Reasons for Change

The homeownership rate in the District of Columbia is significantly below the rate for 

neighboring States and the nation as a whole. Homeownership fosters healthy, vibrant 

communities and is a key to revitalizing the Nation’s capital. Extending the credit would 

enhance the District’s ability to attract new homeowners and establish a stable residential base. 

Proposal

The first-time homebuyer credit for the District of Columbia would be extended for 2 years, 

making the credit available with respect to purchases through December 31, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate 

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-1 -20 -19 0 0 0 -39 -39 

115
EXTEND DEFERRAL OF GAINS FROM THE SALE OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION 

PROPERTY 

Current Law

Generally, the gain on the sale of business assets is subject to current income tax unless a special 

rule provides for nonrecognition or deferral of the gain. One such special rule applies to 

qualifying electric transmission transactions. Under this rule, a taxpayer may elect to recognize 

the gain from a qualifying electric transmission transaction ratably over the eight-year period 

beginning with the year of the transaction. Deferral is allowed only with respect to proceeds that 

are used to purchase other gas or electric utility property during the four-year period beginning 

on the date of the transaction (the reinvestment period). If the amount realized exceeds the 

amount used to purchase other gas or electric utility property during the reinvestment period, the 

realized gain to the extent of such excess is recognized in the year of the qualifying electric 

transmission transaction. 

A sale or other disposition of property is a qualifying electric transmission transaction if (i) the 

property is used in the trade or business of providing electric transmission services or is an 

ownership interest in an entity whose principal trade or business is providing electric 

transmission services and (ii) the sale or other disposition is to an independent transmission 

company and occurs before January 1, 2008. 

In general, whether the purchaser qualifies as an independent transmission company depends on 

determinations by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) or, in the case of 

facilities subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, by that 

Commission. In certain cases, a person’s qualification as an independent transmission company 

also depends on whether the person’s transmission facilities are under the operational control of 

a FERC-approved independent transmission provider before January 1, 2008.

Reasons for Change

To improve transmission management and facilitate the formation of competitive energy 

markets, Federal and State energy regulators are calling for vertically integrated utilities to place 

their transmission assets under the ownership or control of independent transmission companies. 

An extension of the special rule allowing limited deferral of the tax on gain from the dispositions 

to independent transmission companies would facilitate electric deregulation and encourage 

investment in modernization of the country’s energy infrastructure. 

Proposal

The special rule allowing the deferral of tax on the gain from the sale or disposition of electric 

transmission property would be extended for one year, allowing taxpayers to elect deferral with 

respect to sales or dispositions that occur before January 1, 2009. In addition, for cases in which 

qualification as an independent transmission company depends on operational control of 

transmission facilities by a FERC-approved independent transmission provider, the deadline for 

116
achieving such control would be extended for one year (i.e., qualification would depend on 

whether the transmission facilities were under such control before January 1, 2009). 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

-31 -66 -61 -10 31 40 -66 30 

117
EXTEND THE NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT 

Current Law

The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program provides tax credits to investors who make 

qualified equity investments in privately managed investment vehicles known as Community 

Development Entities (CDEs), which in turn invest in low-income communities. Low-income 

communities are generally defined as those census tracts with poverty rates of greater than 20 

percent or with median family incomes that are less than or equal to 80 percent of the area 

median family income. The Secretary has the authority to designate certain targeted populations 

as low-income communities. For this purpose, a targeted population is defined by reference to 

section 103(20) of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 

1994 (12 U.S.C. 4702(20)) to mean individuals, or an identifiable group of individuals, including 

an Indian tribe, who (A) are low-income persons; or (B) otherwise lack adequate access to loans 

or equity investments. The credit provided to the investor totals 39 percent of its investment in 

the CDE and is claimed over a seven-year period. The credits are allowed with respect to a total 

capped amount of equity investments in CDEs each year (e.g., $3.5 billion of total equity 

investments in 2008). Successful applicants are selected through a competitive application and 

review process administered by Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions 

(CDFI) Fund. The NMTC expires at the end of 2008. 

Reasons for Change

Extension of the NMTC would encourage private capital to be invested in low-income 

communities. This would help stimulate economic and community development and job 

creation in these communities. 

Proposal

The NMTC would be extended for one year by authorizing a maximum of $3.5 billion of total 

equity investments for calendar year 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -132 -194 -191 -217 -231 -965 -1,287 

118
EXTEND SUBPART F ACTIVE FINANCING EXCEPTION 

Current Law

Income from the foreign activities of a foreign corporation is generally not subject to U.S. tax 

until that income is distributed to a U.S. person. This deferral of U.S. taxation is limited by 

certain anti-deferral regimes, such as subpart F, that impose current U.S. taxation on certain 

types of income earned by certain foreign corporations. 

The subpart F rules apply to controlled foreign corporations (CFCs) and their shareholders. 

Generally, a foreign corporation is a CFC if more than 50 percent of the vote or value of the 

corporation's stock is owned (directly, indirectly or constructively) by U.S. persons that own at 

least 10 percent of the voting stock of the corporation (U.S. shareholders). Each U.S. 

shareholder must currently include its pro rata share of the CFC's subpart F income, regardless of 

whether the income is distributed by the CFC. 

Subpart F income includes passive and other types of highly mobile income. One category of 

subpart F income is foreign personal holding company income which generally includes 

dividends, interest, rents and royalties. There are several exceptions to the definition of foreign 

personal holding company income, including a temporary exception for certain income that is 

derived in the active conduct of a banking, financing or similar business or insurance business. 

This “active financing” exception provides that qualified banking or financing income of an 

eligible CFC and qualified insurance income of a qualified CFC is not foreign personal holding 

company income or foreign base company services income. In addition, the exception provides 

that certain income of a qualifying insurance company is not subpart F income. The active 

financing exception applies to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after December 

31, 1998, and before January 1, 2009, and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or 

within which such taxable years of the foreign corporations end. 

Reasons for Change

The active financing exception, first enacted as a temporary provision in 1998, recognizes that 

insurance, banking, financing and similar businesses are active businesses generating income, 

such as interest and dividends, of a type that generally is treated as passive for purposes of 

subpart F. Under this exception, those types of income are effectively treated as “active” income 

and therefore not subject to current U.S. tax, with certain limitations. Extension of this expiring 

provision will allow U.S.-based financial and insurance groups to continue their active 

international operations without incurring subpart F income. 

Proposal

The temporary active financing exception would be extended for one year. 

119
Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -1,598 -1,065 0 0 0 -2,663 -2,663 

120
EXTEND SUBPART F LOOK-THROUGH EXCEPTION 

Current Law

The subpart F anti-deferral rules apply to controlled foreign corporations (CFCs) and their 

shareholders. Generally, a foreign corporation is a CFC if more than 50 percent of the vote or 

value of the corporation's stock is owned (directly, indirectly or constructively) by U.S. persons 

that own at least 10 percent of the voting stock of the corporation (U.S. shareholders). Each U.S. 

shareholder must currently include its pro rata share of the CFC's subpart F income, regardless of 

whether the income is distributed by the CFC. 

Subpart F income includes passive and other types of highly mobile income. One category of 

subpart F income is foreign personal holding company income which generally includes 

dividends, interest, rents and royalties. A temporary exception applies for dividends, interest, 

rents and royalties received or accrued by one CFC from another CFC which is a related person 

to the extent attributable or properly allocable to income of the related person which is neither 

subpart F income nor income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or 

business in the United States. The temporary “look-through” exception applies to taxable years 

of foreign corporations beginning after December 31, 2005, and before January 1, 2009, and to 

taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which such taxable years of the 

foreign corporations end. 

 

Reasons for Change

Current law provides a temporary exception from subpart F for certain dividends, interest, rents 

and royalties received or accrued by one CFC from a related CFC. In other words, if the 

payment from one CFC to the other is attributable to active foreign earnings, the payment is 

treated as active foreign earnings by the recipient. This “look-through” exception permits a 

U.S.-owned multinational group to make payments attributable to active foreign earnings from 

one CFC to another without incurring subpart F income. This provision improves the 

competitiveness of U.S.-based multinational corporations by eliminating the tax disincentive to 

their redeploying assets among foreign subsidiaries. 

Proposal

The temporary subpart F “look-through” exception would be extended for one year. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 -347 -231 0 0 0 -578 -578 

121
QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS TO INDIVIDUALS CALLED TO 

ACTIVE DUTY 

Current Law

Taxpayers who receive distributions from a qualified retirement plan prior to age 591⁄2 , death, or 

disability generally are subject to a 10 percent tax, in addition to regular income tax, on the 

amount includible in income as a result of the distribution, unless an exception applies. 

Examples of distributions that are excepted from this additional tax include early distributions 

made to an employee who separates from service after age 55, or to distributions that are part of 

a series of substantially equal periodic payments over the life (or life expectancy) of the 

employee or the joint lives (or life expectancies) of the employee and his or her beneficiary. 

Employee deferrals in a section 401(k) plan or section 403(b) annuity may not be distributed at 

all before severance from employment, age 591⁄2, death, disability, or financial hardship of the 

individual. 

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 provided that “qualified reservist distributions” are an 

additional exception to the 10 percent additional tax on early withdrawals. A qualified reservist 

distribution is a distribution (1) from an IRA or attributable to elective deferrals under a section 

401(k) plan, section 403(b) annuity, or certain similar arrangements, (2) made to an individual 

who (by reason of being a member of a reserve component, which includes national guard units) 

was ordered or called to active duty after September 11, 2001, for a period in excess of 179 days 

or for an indefinite period, and (3) that is made during the period beginning on the date of such 

order or call to duty and ending at the close of the active duty period. A section 401(k) plan or 

section 403(b) annuity does not violate the distribution restrictions applicable to such plans by 

reason of making a qualified reservist distribution. An individual who receives a qualified 

reservist distribution may, at any time during the two-year period beginning on the day after the 

end of the active duty period, make one or more contributions to an IRA of such individual in an 

aggregate amount not greater than the amount of the distribution. The dollar limitations 

otherwise applicable to contributions to IRAs do not apply to any contribution made pursuant to 

this rule. No deduction is allowed for any contribution made under this rule. This exception to 

the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty does not apply to individuals called to active duty after 

December 31, 2007. 

Reasons for Change

Americans commonly incur economic hardship as a result of being called to active military 

service. They should not be penalized if they need to draw on their qualified retirement funds to 

address these hardships. 

Proposal

The exception to the 10 percent early withdrawal tax on distributions to individuals called to 

active duty for at least 179 days would be extended to individuals called to active duty on or 

before December 31, 2009. 

122
Revenue Estimate 

[No revenue effect]

123
DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURN INFORMATION RELATED TO TERRORIST 

ACTIVITY 

Current Law

Current law permits disclosure by the IRS of return information to aid the investigation or 

response to terrorism in two situations. First, if a specified official of a Federal law enforcement 

or intelligence agency submits a written request, the IRS may disclose a taxpayer’s identity and 

return information to such agency’s officers and employees involved with a terrorist incident, 

threat, or activity. The head of a Federal law enforcement agency in turn may make disclosures 

to State or local law enforcement agencies working as part of a team on the investigation or 

response. Second, if the IRS wishes to apprise a Federal law enforcement agency of a terrorist 

incident, threat, or activity, the IRS may disclose a taxpayer’s identity and return information to 

the agency’s head (who in turn may disclose the information to agency officers and employees as 

necessary). With respect to returns and return information that the taxpayer supplied (other than 

taxpayer identity information), the IRS cannot make the disclosure to Federal law enforcement or 

intelligence agency officers and employees without a court order indicating there is reasonable 

cause to believe the returns and return information at issue are relevant to the terrorist incident, 

threat or activity. If a Federal law enforcement or intelligence agency seeks taxpayer return 

information, specified officials in the Department of Justice may apply for an ex parte court 

order. If the IRS wishes to disclose taxpayer return information, the IRS may apply for an ex 

parte court order and may make disclosures to the Department of Justice as necessary to prepare 

such application on behalf of the IRS. 

Reasons for Change

The disclosure authority relating to terrorist activities expired on December 31, 2007. The 

Administration believes that extension would help provide continued support for investigations 

and responses relating to terrorism. 

Proposal

The proposal would extend this authority until December 31, 2009, effective on enactment. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

124
DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURN INFORMATION FOR ADMINISTRATION OF 

VETERANS PROGRAMS 

Current Law

Generally, tax returns and return information are confidential, unless the tax Code authorizes 

disclosure. In the case of certain means-tested government programs, the Code authorizes 

disclosure generally to verify eligibility. In particular, the Code has permitted disclosure to the 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of certain return information necessary to verify certain 

need-based pensions, dependency and indemnity compensation to parents of a deceased veteran, 

health care, or unemployment compensation. Where the Code permits a government agency to 

receive return information, the agency generally must observe prescribed safeguards that require 

secure storage, restricted access, reports to IRS, and shredding or other proper disposal. See, 

e.g., IRS Publication 1075. Criminal and civil sanctions apply to unauthorized disclosure or 

inspection of return information. 

Reasons for Change

The VA disclosure provision will expire after September 30, 2008. Disclosure to the VA 

continues to be necessary to systematically verify eligibility for the enumerated programs. 

Income verification helps to ensure efficient administration of government benefits. Meanwhile, 

amendments to the underlying VA benefit provisions necessitate an update to the crossreferences in the tax return information disclosure law. 

Proposal

The provision would be extended for one year. In addition, the provision would be updated to 

cross-reference the non-tax statutes that currently relate to the enumerated VA programs. 

Revenue Estimate

[No revenue effect] 

125
EXCISE TAX ON COAL 

Current Law

An excise tax is imposed on coal at a rate of $1.10 per ton for coal from underground mines and 

$0.55 per ton for coal from surface mines. In either case, the tax imposed with respect to a ton of 

coal may not exceed 4.4 percent of the amount for which it is sold by the producer. Receipts 

from the tax are deposited in the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund (the Fund). Amounts in the 

Fund are used to pay compensation, medical, and survivor benefits to eligible miners and their 

survivors and to cover costs of program administration. Miners and survivors qualify for benefits 

from the Fund only if the miner’s mine employment terminated before 1970 or no mine operator 

is liable for the payment of benefits. The Fund is also permitted to borrow from the general fund 

any amounts necessary to make authorized expenditures if excise tax receipts do not provide 

sufficient funding. 

Reduced rates of tax apply after the earlier of December 31, 2013, or the date on which the Black 

Lung Disability Trust Fund has repaid, with interest, all amounts borrowed from the general fund 

of the Treasury. The reduced rates of tax are $0.50 per ton for coal from underground mines and 

$0.25 per ton for coal from surface mines. In addition, the maximum tax imposed with respect to 

a ton of coal is reduced from 4.4 percent of the amount for which it is sold by the producer to 2 

percent of that amount. 

Reasons for Change

To reduce the duration of the general fund subsidy for black lung disability programs, excise tax 

rates on coal should remain at their current levels until all amounts borrowed from the general 

fund of the Treasury have been repaid with interest. 

Proposal

The Administration’s proposal would retain the excise tax on coal at the current rates until the 

date on which the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund has repaid, with interest, all amounts 

borrowed from the general fund of the Treasury. After repayment of the Fund’s debt, the reduced 

rates of $0.50 per ton for coal from underground mines and $0.25 per ton for coal from surface 

mines would apply and the tax per ton of coal would be capped at 2 percent of the amount for 

which it is sold by the producer. The proposal would be effective for coal sales after December 

31, 2009. 

Revenue Estimate

Fiscal Years 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009-2013 2009-2018 

($ in millions) 

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,387 

126
ELECTION TO INCLUDE COMBAT PAY AS EARNED INCOME FOR EITC 

Current Law

Subject to certain limitations, compensation earned by members of the Armed Forces while 

serving in combat zones may be excluded from gross income. Enlisted personnel and warrant 

officers may exclude the full amount of compensation earned in combat zones. Commissioned 

officers also may exclude compensation earned in combat zones, but only to the extent of the 

maximum amount that enlisted personnel receive. For up to two years following service in a 

combat zone, military personnel also may exclude compensation earned while hospitalized from 

wounds, disease, or injuries incurred while serving in a combat zone. 

Nontaxable compensation is not includable in earned income for purposes of computing the 

earned income tax credit (EITC). However, a taxpayer may elect to treat combat pay otherwise 

excluded from gross income as earned income for purposes of the EITC, effective for taxable 

years ending after October 4, 2004, and before January 1, 2008. 

Reasons for Change

Excluding combat pay from earned income can decrease or increase the amount of the EITC 

received by military personnel serving in combat zones. The effect of the exclusion varies 

depending on a number of factors, including the taxpayer’s rank, number of years of service in 

the military, number of months in a combat zone, marital status, and number of children. The 

effects of the exclusion are most adverse among very low-ranking enlisted personnel who serve 

in combat zones for most or all of the tax year. However, in 2006, the exclusion likely increased 

the EITC for most qualified military personnel. 

Extending the availability of the election to include combat pay as earned income for purposes of 

the EITC would assist very low-ranking enlisted personnel who serve long periods in combat 

zones, without disadvantaging other military personnel also serving in combat zones. 

Proposal

The election to treat combat pay otherwise excluded from gross income as earned income for 

purposes of the EITC would be extended through December 31, 2009. 

127
129

0000

2017

-31,585

-14,868

-2,012

-142,702

-36,076

-6,841

-1,677

-79,285

-694

-315,740

-2,011

-187

-2,198

-428

41,078

-1,565

39,513

-351

-206

-207

-27

-51

-166

-1,008

-203

-286

-489-257-188

-43

-231

-200

34,702

382

-22

406

766

2016

-30,354

-14,463

-2,322

-137,608

-35,648

-7,137

-1,611

-74,379

-689

-304,211

-1,505

-178

-1,683

-474

26,032

-1,429

24,603

-308

-187

-197

-25

-47

-162

-926-200

-271

-471-275-205

-36

-241

-200

20,333

359

-26

406

739

2015

(in millions of dollars)

-29,410

-13,983

-2,764

-132,937

-35,300

-7,593

-1,542

-69,371

-683

-293,583

-866

-169

-1,035

-513

12,684

-1,322

11,362

-264

-169

-187

-24

-42

-159

-845-197

-254

-451-293-233

-28

-261

-200

7,764

336

-29

400

707

Fiscal Years

2014

-23,828

-12,764

-3,377

-128,254

-34,817

-8,150

-1,476

-64,670

-679

-278,015

-1,634

-159

-1,793

-572

2,004

-1,217

787

-235

-154

-178

-23

-37

-157

-784-194

-238

-432-312-250

-22

-272

-200

-3,578

312

-32

400

680

2013

4,000

-13,873

-8,461

-4,288

-123,794

-34,361

-8,850

-1,413

-59,670

-678

-255,388

-1,314

-150

-1,464

-688

-6,581

-1,123

-7,704

-211

-140

-170

-22

-32

-155

-730-191

-227

-418-331-284

-15

-299

-200

-11,834

284

-36

392

640

FY 2009 Budget Tax Proposals Affecting Receipts

2012

6,000

-4,616

-3,683

-5,810

-119,341

-33,911

-9,567

-1,339

-57,639

-678

1,075

-141

934

-851

-17,946

-1,031

No Revenue Effect

-236,584

-18,977

-284

-127

-162

-21

-28

-154

-776-188

-213

-401-329-327

-10

-337

-200

-20,937

257

-39

388

606

Revenue Estimates */

2011

8,000

-24,361

-17,416

-4,160

-75,160

-5,110-4,735

-738

-26,409

-364

-158,453

3,023

-132

2,891

-1,083

-25,853

-931

-26,784

-434

-116

-154

-18

-25

-153

-900-185

-198

-383-305-343

-6

-349

-200

-27,113

278

-43

380

615

2010

010,00

-5,554

-4,094

00000

-3,453

6

-13,095

3,545

-120

3,425

-1,495

-32,100

-779

-32,879

-551

-106

-147

-22

-21

-152

-999-183

-183

-366-230-356

-3

-359

-200

-33,103

290

-59

377

608

2009

0-20,00

425

000000

-2,502

0

-2,077

1,527

-80

1,447

-1,086

-23,188

-420

-23,608

-300

-96

-118

-35

-15

-152-716-180

-88

-268-116-501

0

-501

-200

-25,048

3

267

0

-

264

2008

0-125,00

0000000

-422

0

-422

00000000

-44-50-48

-3

-105

-250

-18

0

-18-27

-180

0

-180

0

-475

0000

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

..........................

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

1

llow the savers' credit on contributions to qualified tuition programs (section 529 plans).............

...

...

...

 2008n on iti /

.............................................................................................

...

...

...

rea

Subtotal: Make Permanent Certain Tax Relief Enacted in 2001 and 2003

llow the orphan drug tax credit for certain pre-designation expenses.....................................

....................................................................

C boJ d anthrowGc conomiEe tamul

AA

StiMake Permanent Certain Tax Relief Enacted in 2001 and 2003

Dividends tax rate structure.............................................................................................

Capital gains rate structure..............................................................................................Expensing for small business............................................................................................

Marginal individual income tax rate reductions.....................................................................Child tax credit 2/...........................................................................................................

Marriage penalty relief 3/.................................................................................................

Education incentives......................................................................................................

Estate tax repeal.............................................................................................................

Other incentives for families and children..............................................................................

Tax Incentives

Simplify and encourage savings:

Expand tax-free savings opportunities................................................................................

Consolidate employer-based savings accounts.....................................................................

 Total simplify and encourage savings.....................................................................

Encourage entrepreneurship and investment:

Increase expensing for small business................................................................................

Invest in health care:

Provide a new standard deduction for health insurance (SDHI) ( $15,000 for family coverage and $7,500 for single coverage) 4/....................................................................

Expand and make health savings accounts (HSAs) more flexible............................................

 Total invest in health care....................................................................................

Provide incentives for charitable giving:

Permanently extend tax-free withdrawals from IRAs for charitable contributions.........................

Permanently extend the enhanced charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory...........................................................................................................

Permanently extend the enhanced deduction for corporate contributions of computer equipment for educational purposes................................................................................

Permanently extend increased limits on contributions of property interests made for conservation purposes...................................................................................................

Permanently extend the basis adjustment to stock of S corporations contributing  appreciated property......................................................................................................

Reform excise tax based on investment income of private foundations.......................................

 Total provide incentives for charitable giving.............................................................

Strengthen education:

Permanently extend the above-the-line deduction for qualified out-of-pocket classroom expenses..................................................................................

 Total strengthen education..................................................................................

Strengthen housing:

Expand tax-exempt qualified mortgage bond program to assist subprime borrowers.....................

Protect the environment:

Permanently extend expensing of brownfields remediation costs.............................................Eliminate the volume cap for private activity bonds for water infrastructure.................................

 Total protect the environment..............................................................................

Restructure Assistance to New York City:

Provide tax incentives for transportation infrastructure..........................................................

 Subtotal: Tax Incentives

Simplify the Tax Laws for Families

Clarify uniform definition of a child 5/.................................................................................

Simplify EITC eligibility with respect to filings status, presence of children, and  work and immigrant status 6/.......................................................................................

Reduce computational complexity of refundable child tax credit 7/..........................................

 Subtotal: Simplify Tax Laws for Families
130

00000

4 

2017

1,136

1,354

2,757

87

2016

1,073

1,293

2,609

82

3 4

17

3 4

03555666770000000011000011111100000011110002466777

2

2

5,379

1

0000011111

5,399 

-2

171

5,120

-2

2 4

5,101

10 11

8300

154

152

-74

-9,728

70

-9,732-9,580

900

-397

503

20

13

33

-17,540

0

146

144

-76

-9,223

69

-9,230-9,086

-909

-9

-918

25

13

38

-16,222

16

2015

1,014

1,215

2,449

78

0

4,799

61

0003689

-2

139

140

-76

-8,763

70

(in millions of dollars)

2 4

4,816

-8,769-8,629

53

-277-224

42

12

54

-15,002

40

Fiscal Years

2014

951

991

2,268

74

0

4,326

61

4,342

-2

1

133

139

-78

-8,325

98

1

-8,305-8,166

-815

-18

-833

66

11

77

-13,875

40

2013

886

628

2,027

70

0

3,653

61

3,668

FY 2009 Budget Tax Proposals Affecting Receipts

2012

819

370

1,637

66

27

1 4

0

2,960

No Revenue Effect

5

No Revenue Effect

1

2,971

No Revenue EffectNo Revenue EffectNo Revenue EffectNo Revenue EffectNo Revenue Effect

-2

3

-79

108

1 4

1

126

135

-7,909

126

-7,862-7,727

-314

0

-314

89

19

-12,833

40

8

-2

0

16

120

131

-83

-7,526

159

-7,450

-7,319

-107

0

-107

110

43

153

-11,809

31

Revenue Estimates */

2011

649

176

1,193

60

1

0

2,227

51

2,235

-2

115

129

-118

-7,106

127

-7,097-6,968

34

0

34

114

76

190

0000000

-10,601

0000000

-10

2010

422

29

688

49

105

0 40 4

0

3

9

26

1,333

50

1,338

-1

1

109

121

-170

-6,768

119

-6,819-6,698

35

465

500

37

91

164

1

14,216

-9,145

-

-61

2009

3

0

190

3

1

0

302

300

64

6

0

0

-248

-73

0

1,079

61

-

0

305

0

6

109

-139

0

7

1,079

2

81

2

-60,908

-7,071

-66

2008

000

0

00

0

0000 2

0

0

0

0

0

000

0

00

1616

-1

-11,673

-3,221

-31

...

...

...

Require a certified Taxpayer Identification Number from contractors..........................................

.

Require basis reporting on security sales...........................................................................

Require increased information reporting on certain government payments..................................

...

Improve Tax Compliance

Expand information reporting:

Require information reporting on payments to corporations.....................................................

Require information reporting on merchant payment card reimbursements................................

Increase information return penalties..................................................................................

Improve the foreign trust reporting penalty...........................................................................

 Total expand information reporting..........................................................................

...

...

Improve compliance by businesses:

Require electronic filing by certain large organizations............................................................

...

...

...

...

Implement standards clarifying when employee leasing companies can be held liable  for their clients' Federal employment taxes.........................................................................

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

 Total improve compliance by businesses...............................................................

Strengthen tax administration:

Expand IRS access to information in the National Directory of New Hires for tax  administration purposes.................................................................................................Permit disclosure of prison tax scams.................................................................................Make repeated willful failure to file a tax return a felony.........................................................Facilitate tax compliance with local jurisdictions...................................................................Extension of statute of limitations where state adjustment affects federal tax liability...................Improve investigative disclosure statute.............................................................................. Total strengthen tax administration.........................................................................

................................................................

Penalties:

Impose a penalty on failure to comply with electronic filing requirements....................................

 Subtotal: Improve Tax Compliance

Improve Tax Administration and Other Miscellaneous Proposals

Make Section 1203 of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 more effective and fair.....................................................................................................................Allow for the termination of installment agreements for failure to file returns and for failure to make tax deposits..........................................................................................Eliminate the monetary threshold for counsel review of offers in compromise...............................Extend IRS authority to fund undercover operations...............................................................Increase transparency of the cost of employer-provided health insurance...................................Conform penalty standards between preparers and taxpayers.................................................

Eliminate the special exclusion from unrelated business taxable income for gain or  loss on the sale or exchange of certain brownfields............................................................

Limit related party interest deductions.................................................................................

 Total tax administration.......................................................................................

Repeal excise tax on local telephone service........................................................................

Modify financing of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund............................................................

Modify financing of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.............................................................

 Total other.......................................................................................................

 Subtotal: Improve Tax Administration and Other Proposals............................................

Extend unemployment insurance surtax..............................................................................

...............................................................

Improve Unemployment Insurance

Strengthen the financial integrity of the unemployment insurance system by reducing  improper benefit payments and tax avoidance..................................................................

 Subtotal: Improve Unemployment Insurance

Repeal reduced recovery period for natural gas distribution lines.............................................

Modify amortization for certain geological and geophysical expenditures....................................

.....................................................................................

Energy Provisions

 Subtotal: Energy Provisions

Extend Expiring Provisions

Extend minimum tax relief for individuals..............................................................................Permanently extend research and experimentation (R&E) tax credit.........................................

Extend the first-time homebuyer credit for the District of Columbia............................................

Extend deferral of gains from the sale of electric transmission property....................................
131

00000000000000

9

2017

91

29

94

-17,150

-1,843

-302,910

2016

6

1 2

-15,906

-1,707

2015

-231

9

-305,598

2

-14,902

-1,575

72

2014

(in millions of dollars)

-231

0 0 0 0 0 0202

-305,5

Fiscal Years

-13,864

-1,798

-301,155

2013

-231

FY 2009 Budget Tax Proposals Affecting Receipts

2012

-217

No Revenue EffectNo Revenue EffectNo Revenue Effect

-13,024

-2,426

-282,297

-11,995

-2,408

-269,620

Revenue Estimates */

2011

-191

-10,802

-2,674

-194,936

2010

-194

-1,065

-231

3,501

-2,319

-39,104

2009

-132

-1,598

-347

-70,142

-1,653

-117,264

isions, estimates differ from those presented in Table 17-3 of the Analytical Perspectives of the President's Budg

 $13,649 million in 2014, $13,709 million in 2015, $13,698 million in 2016, $13,810 million in 2017, $13,868 mill

 $1,849 million in 2014, $1,848 million in 2015, $1,852 million in 2016, $1,861 million in 2017, $1,875 million in 2

$2,586 million in 2012, $1,889 million in 2013, $1,079 million in 2014, $298 million in 2015, -$537 million in 2016

0 million in 2012, -$261 million in 2013, -$284 million in 2014, -$305 million in 2015, -$327 million in 2016, -$348 

illion in 2012, $13 million in 2013, $10 million in 2014, $6 million in 2015, $3 million in 2016, -$1 million in 2017, 

$392 million in 2013, -$400 million in 2014, -$400 million in 2015, -$406 million in 2016, -$406 million in 2017, -$4

2008

000

-14,926

-86

-140,893

Extend the New Markets Tax Credit......................................................................................

...

...

Extend temporary subpart F active financing exception.........................................................

...

...

...

...

Extend temporary subpart F look-through exception............................................................

Qualified retirement plan distributions to individuals called to active duty...................................

Disclosure of tax return information related to terrorist activities..............................................Disclosure of tax return information for administration of certain veterans programs....................Excise tax on coal............................................................................................................

...........................................................................

...

 Subtotal: Extend Expiring Provisions

Trade

Implement free trade agreements and modify other trade related agreements............................

 Total Effect of FY 2009 Budget Tax Proposals on ReceiptsEstimates presented for certain provisions identified in the table include the effects of receipts and outlays. For these provthe Administration's legislative proposals.This package is assumed not to interact with any of the other provisions in the table; that is, it is stacked last.Affects both receipts and outlays. The outlay effect is $48 million in 2011, $13,554 million in 2012, $13,584 million in 2013,$95,920 million in 2009-2018.Affects both receipts and outlays. The outlay effect is -$382 million in 2011, $1,852 million in 2012, $1,849 million in 2013,million in 2009-2018.Affects both receipts and outlays. The outlay effect is $186 million in 2009, $3,688 million in 2010, $3,173 million in 2011, in 2017, -$2,409 million in 2018, $8,518 million in 2009-2018Affects both receipts and outlays. The outlay effect is $9 million in 2009, -$260 million in 2010, -$240 million in 2011, -$24-$369 million in 2018, -$2,625 million in 2009-2018.Affects both receipts and outlays. The outlay effect is -$232 million in 2009, $31 million in 2010, $17 million in 2011, $15 m-$144 million in 2009-2018.Affects both receipts and outlays. The outlay effect is -$377 million in 2010, -$380 million in 2011, -$388 million in 2012, --$3,560 million in 2009-2018.

*/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/Office of Tax Analysis