To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for expenses for household and elder care services necessary for gainful employment.
Bill: H.R.258 | Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Barbara (D-CA)
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
This bill allows a new tax credit for a taxpayer's employment-related expenses necessary to care for a dependent who has attained age 50.
Employment-related expenses include (1) expenses for household services; and (2) expenses for the care of the dependent, including respite care and hospice care. The expenses must be incurred to enable the taxpayer to be gainfully employed for any period for which there are one or more dependents that qualify for the credit.
The bill limits the amount of such credit to $3,000 for the care of one dependent and $6,000 for the care of two or more dependents of the taxpayer in a taxable year.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for 
 expenses for household and elder care services necessary for gainful 
                              employment.

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

SECTION 1. EXPENSES FOR HOUSEHOLD AND ELDER CARE SERVICES NECESSARY FOR 
              GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

    (a) In General.--Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section:

``SEC. 25E. EXPENSES FOR HOUSEHOLD AND ELDER CARE SERVICES NECESSARY 
              FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--
            ``(1) In general.--In the case of an individual for which 
        there are one or more qualifying individuals (as defined in 
        subsection (b)(1)) with respect to such individual, there shall 
        be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter 
        for the taxable year an amount equal to the applicable 
        percentage of the employment-related expenses (as defined in 
        subsection (b)(2)) paid by such individual during the taxable 
        year.
            ``(2) Applicable percentage defined.--For purposes of 
        paragraph (1), the term `applicable percentage' means 35 
        percent reduced (but not below 20 percent) by 1 percentage 
        point for each $2,000 (or fraction thereof) by which the 
        taxpayer's adjusted gross income for the taxable year exceeds 
        $15,000.
    ``(b) Definitions of Qualifying Individual and Employment-Related 
Expenses.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Qualifying individual.--The term `qualifying 
        individual' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) has attained age 50, and
                    ``(B) is one of the following:
                            ``(i) An individual who bears a 
                        relationship to the taxpayer described in 
                        subparagraph (C) or (D) of section 152(d)(2) 
                        (relating to fathers, mothers, and ancestors).
                            ``(ii) An individual would be a dependent 
                        of the taxpayer (as defined in section 152, 
                        determined without regard to subsections (b)(1) 
                        and (b)(2)) as a qualifying relative described 
                        in section 152(d)(1) if--
                                    ``(I) in lieu of subparagraphs (B) 
                                and (C) thereof the following applied 
                                with respect to the individual:
                                            ``(aa) the taxpayer has 
                                        provided over one-half of the 
                                        individual's support for the 
                                        calendar year in which such 
                                        taxable year begins and each of 
                                        the preceding 4 taxable years, 
                                        and
                                            ``(bb) the individual's 
                                        modified adjusted gross income 
                                        for the calendar year in which 
                                        such taxable year begins is 
                                        less than the exemption amount 
                                        (as defined in section 151(d)),
                                    ``(II) the individual is physically 
                                or mentally incapable of caring for 
                                himself or herself, and
                                    ``(III) the individual who has the 
                                same principal place of abode as the 
                                taxpayer for more than one-half of such 
                                taxable year.
                            ``(iii) The spouse of the taxpayer who is 
                        physically or mentally incapable of caring for 
                        himself or herself.
            ``(2) Modified adjusted gross income.--The term `modified 
        adjusted gross income' means adjusted gross income determined 
        without regard to section 86.
            ``(3) Employment-related expenses.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `employment-related 
                expenses' means amounts paid for the following 
                expenses, but only if such expenses are incurred to 
                enable the taxpayer to be gainfully employed for any 
                period for which there are one or more qualifying 
                individuals with respect to the taxpayer:
                            ``(i) expenses for household services, and
                            ``(ii) expenses for the care of a 
                        qualifying individual, including expenses for 
                        respite care and hospice care.
                    ``(B) Exception.--Employment-related expenses 
                described in subparagraph (A) which are incurred for 
                services outside the taxpayer's household shall be 
                taken into account only if incurred for the care of--
                            ``(i) a qualifying individual described in 
                        paragraph (1)(A), or
                            ``(ii) a qualifying individual (not 
                        described in paragraph (1)(A)) who regularly 
                        spends at least 8 hours each day in the 
                        taxpayer's household.
                    ``(C) Dependent care centers.--Employment-related 
                expenses described in subparagraph (A) which are 
                incurred for services provided outside the taxpayer's 
                household by a dependent care center (as defined in 
                subparagraph (D)) shall be taken into account only if--
                            ``(i) such center complies with all 
                        applicable laws and regulations of a State or 
                        unit of local government, and
                            ``(ii) the requirements of subparagraph (B) 
                        are met.
                    ``(D) Dependent care center defined.--For purposes 
                of this paragraph, the term `dependent care center' 
                means any facility which--
                            ``(i) provides care for more than six 
                        individuals (other than individuals who reside 
                        at the facility), and
                            ``(ii) receives a fee, payment, or grant 
                        for providing services for any of the 
                        individuals (regardless of whether such 
                        facility is operated for profit).
    ``(c) Dollar Limit on Amount Creditable.--The amount of the 
employment-related expenses incurred during any taxable year which may 
be taken into account under subsection (a) shall not exceed--
            ``(1) $3,000 if there is 1 qualifying individual with 
        respect to the taxpayer for such taxable year, or
            ``(2) $6,000 if there are two or more qualifying 
        individuals with respect to the taxpayer for such taxable year.
The amount determined under paragraph (1) or (2) (whichever is 
applicable) shall be reduced by the aggregate amount excludable from 
gross income under section 129 for the taxable year.
    ``(d) Earned Income Limitation.--Except as otherwise provided in 
this subsection, the amount of the employment-related expenses incurred 
during any taxable year which may be taken into account under 
subsection (a) shall not exceed--
            ``(1) in the case of an individual who is not married at 
        the close of such year, such individual's earned income for 
        such year, or
            ``(2) in the case of an individual who is married at the 
        close of such year, the lesser of such individual's earned 
        income or the earned income of his spouse for such year.
    ``(e) Special Rules.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Place of abode.--An individual shall not be treated 
        as having the same principal place of abode of the taxpayer if 
        at any time during the taxable year of the taxpayer the 
        relationship between the individual and the taxpayer is in 
        violation of local law.
            ``(2) Married couples must file joint return.--If the 
        taxpayer is married at the close of the taxable year, the 
        credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) only if the 
        taxpayer and his spouse file a joint return for the taxable 
        year.
            ``(3) Marital status.--An individual legally separated from 
        his spouse under a decree of divorce or of separate maintenance 
        shall not be considered as married.
            ``(4) Certain married individuals living apart.--If--
                    ``(A) an individual who is married and who files a 
                separate return--
                            ``(i) maintains as his home a household 
                        which constitutes for more than one-half of the 
                        taxable year the principal place of abode of a 
                        qualifying individual, and
                            ``(ii) furnishes over half of the cost of 
                        maintaining such household during the taxable 
                        year, and
                    ``(B) during the last 6 months of such taxable year 
                such individual's spouse is not a member of such 
                household, such individual shall not be considered as 
                married.
            ``(5) Payments to related individuals.--No credit shall be 
        allowed under subsection (a) for any amount paid by the 
        taxpayer to an individual--
                    ``(A) with respect to whom, for the taxable year, a 
                deduction under section 151(c) (relating to deduction 
                for personal exemptions for dependents) is allowable 
                either to the taxpayer or his spouse, or
                    ``(B) who is a child of the taxpayer (within the 
                meaning of section 152(f)(1)) who has not attained the 
                age of 19 at the close of the taxable year.
        For purposes of this paragraph, the term `taxable year' means 
        the taxable year of the taxpayer in which the service is 
        performed.
            ``(6) Identifying information required with respect to 
        service provider.--No credit shall be allowed under subsection 
        (a) for any amount paid to any person unless--
                    ``(A) the name, address, and taxpayer 
                identification number of such person are included on 
                the return claiming the credit, or
                    ``(B) if such person is an organization described 
                in section 501(c)(3) and exempt from tax under section 
                501(a), the name and address of such person are 
                included on the return claiming the credit.
        In the case of a failure to provide the information required 
        under the preceding sentence, the preceding sentence shall not 
        apply if it is shown that the taxpayer exercised due diligence 
        in attempting to provide the information so required.
            ``(7) Identifying information required with respect to 
        qualifying individuals.--No credit shall be allowed under this 
        section with respect to any qualifying individual unless the 
        TIN of such individual is included on the return claiming the 
        credit.
    ``(f) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations 
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart A of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 25E. Expenses for household and elder care services necessary 
                            for gainful employment.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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