I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2018 

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a program to 

populate downloadable tax forms with taxpayer return information. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2017 

Mr. FOSTER (for himself and Mr. TAKANO) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish 

a program to populate downloadable tax forms with taxpayer return information. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Autofill Act of 2017’’. 

5 SEC. 2. AUTOMATED PARTIALLY PRE-POPULATED TAX RE6 TURNS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 77 of the Internal Rev8 enue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 

9 following new section: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 7529. AUTOMATED PARTIALLY PRE-POPULATED TAX 

2 RETURNS. 

3 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary 

4 shall establish a program under which taxpayers may 

5 download forms relating to the individual income tax re6 turns that are populated with return information reported 

7 to the Secretary under chapter 61 and reported to the Sec8 retary pursuant to section 232 of the Social Security Act. 

9 ‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO INFORMATION.— 

10 ‘‘(1) DEADLINE FOR MAKING INFORMATION

11 AVAILABLE.—The Secretary shall make such return 

12 information available under the program established 

13 under subsection (a) not later than 15 days after the 

14 Secretary receives such information. 

15 ‘‘(2) FORMAT OF INFORMATION MADE AVAIL16 ABLE.—Return information shall be made available 

17 under the program established under subsection (a) 

18 in both a printable document file suitable for manual 

19 completion and filing and in a computer-readable 

20 form suitable for use by automated tax preparation 

21 software. 

22 ‘‘(c) AUTOFILL SERVICE DEADLINES.— 

23 ‘‘(1) STANDARDS.—Not later than October 31, 

24 2017, the Secretary shall— 

25 ‘‘(A) establish standards for data download 

26 to tax preparation software, and 


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1 ‘‘(B) provide a demonstration server for 

2 downloading the partially populated printable 

3 document file. 

4 ‘‘(2) TAX FORMS.—Not later than February 15, 

5 2018, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 

6 provide on the Secretary’s Web site a secure func7 tion that allows a taxpayer to download, as both a 

8 printable document file and in a form suitable for 

9 input to automatic tax preparation software, the 

10 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ forms that are populated 

11 with information with respect to the taxpayer that is 

12 reported under chapter 61 or any other provision of 

13 this title under which reporting of information is re14 quired. 

15 ‘‘(d) TAXPAYER RESPONSIBILITY.—Nothing in this 

16 section shall be construed to absolve the taxpayer from 

17 full responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of his 

18 return of tax. 

19 ‘‘(e) DISCLAIMER.—Before any form can be 

20 downloaded under the program established under sub21 section (a), taxpayer must acknowledge that— 

22 ‘‘(1) the taxpayer is responsible for the accu23 racy of his return, and 


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1 ‘‘(2) all information provided in the 

2 downloadable form under such program needs to be 

3 verified. 

4 ‘‘(f) INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR WAGE AND SELF5 EMPLOYMENT INCOME.—For purposes of subsection 

6 (a)— 

7 ‘‘(1) INFORMATION RELATED TO CALENDAR

8 YEAR 2017.—In the case of information relating to 

9 wages paid, and amounts of self-employment income, 

10 for calendar year 2017 required to be provided to 

11 the Commissioner of Social Security under section 

12 205(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

13 405(c)(2)(A)), the Commissioner shall, using best ef14 forts, make such information available to the Sec15 retary not later than January 31, 2018. 

16 ‘‘(2) INFORMATION RELATED TO CALENDAR

17 YEAR 2018 AND THEREAFTER.—In the case of infor18 mation relating to wages paid, and amounts of self19 employment income, for any calendar year after 

20 2017 required to be provided to the Commissioner of 

21 Social Security under section 205(c)(2)(A) of the 

22 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(A)), the 

23 Commissioner shall make such information available 

24 to the Secretary not later than the January 31 of 

25 the calendar year following the calendar year to 


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1 which such wages and self-employment income re2 late.’’. 

3 (b) FILING DEADLINE FOR INFORMATION RE4 TURNS.—Section 6071(b) of such Code is amended to 

5 read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(b) INFORMATION RETURNS.—Returns made under 

7 part III of this subchapter shall be filed on or before Janu8 ary 31 of the year following the calendar year to which 

9 such returns relate. Section 6081 shall not apply to re10 turns under such part III.’’. 

11 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO SOCIAL SECURITY

12 ACT.—Section 205(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 

13 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the 

14 following new sentence: ‘‘For purposes of the preceding 

15 sentence, the Commissioner shall require that information 

16 relating to wages paid, and amounts of self-employment 

17 income, be provided to the Commissioner not later than 

18 January 31 of the year following the calendar year to 

19 which such wages and self-employment income relate.’’. 

20 (d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

21 for chapter 77 of such Code is amended by adding at the 

22 end the following new item: 

‘‘Sec. 7529. Automated partially pre-populated tax returns.’’. 


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1 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 this section shall apply to returns for taxable years begin3 ning after December 31, 2016. 

Æ 


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