Everyday Philanthropist Act

Bill: 117-hr-4585
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
Introduced: 2021-07-20
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Charitable contributions

Employee benefits and pensions

Income tax deductions

Income tax exclusion
Latest action: action_date: 2021-07-20
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-07-20
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Everyday Philanthropist Act</b> </p> <p>This bill allows employers to offer certain employees a tax-advantaged flexible giving account as a fringe benefit. Flexible giving accounts allow employees to set aside up to $2,700 of their annual pretax earnings to make tax-deductible charitable contributions without having to itemize tax deductions. </p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4585 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 20, 2021 Mr. Suozzi (for himself and Mr. Buchanan ) 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 provide for flexible giving accounts, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Everyday Philanthropist Act . 2. Flexible giving accounts (a) In general Subsection (a) of section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking or at the end of paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and inserting , or , and by inserting after paragraph (8) the following: (9) flexible giving account. . (b) Flexible giving account Section 132 of such Code is amended by redesignating subsection (o) as subsection (p) and by inserting after subsection (n) the following: (o) Flexible giving account (1) In general (A) Flexible giving account For purposes of this subsection, a flexible giving account is an account under an arrangement which is a separate written plan of an employer for the exclusive benefit of all eligible employees under which— (i) an employee may elect— (I) to receive a reduction in compensation and have the employer deposit the amount of the reduction in a flexible giving account of the electing employee, and (II) before the reduction under subclause (I), to designate one or more eligible entities to which distributions are to be made from the account, (ii) the employer will not make any reduction under clause (i)(I) unless one or more entities have been designated under clause (i)(II), (iii) the employer, as soon after the deposit under clause (i)(I) as practicable, makes the disbursements designated under clause (i), (iv) the employer provides reasonable notification of the availability and terms of the arrangement to all eligible employees, (v) the employer maintains a separate flexible giving account on behalf of each employee for whom an election is in effect clause (i), and (vi) the employer agrees to furnish to each participating employee, on or before January 31 of each year, a written accounting of the employee’s flexible giving account showing deposits and disbursements during the previous calendar year. (B) Maximum reduction The amount of a reduction under subparagraph (A) for a taxable year shall not exceed $2,700. (2) Eligible employee For purposes of this subsection— (A) In general (i) Eligible employee The term eligible employee means, with respect to a flexible giving account, any employee who is not a highly compensated or key employee and who is eligible to participate in the arrangement. (ii) Highly compensated employee The term highly compensated employee has the meaning given such term by section 414(q). (iii) Key employee The term key employee has the meaning given such term by section 416(i). (B) Certain employees may be excluded For purposes of subparagraph (A), an employer may elect to exclude under the arrangement described in paragraph (1) any employee who— (i) has not attained the age of 21 before the close of a plan year of the arrangement, (ii) has less than 1 year of service with the employer as of any day during the plan year, and (iii) is described in section 410(b)(3)(C) (relating to nonresident aliens working outside the United States). (C) Shorter service period; younger age An arrangement may provide a shorter period of service or younger age for purposes of subparagraph (B). (3) Tax treatment of distributions (A) In general Any distribution from a flexible giving account shall not be includible in the gross income of the distributee. (B) Coordination with section 170 Distributions from the flexible giving account of an employee— (i) shall be treated as a charitable contribution of the employee for purposes of section 170, (ii) shall not be taken into account under section 170(a) (relating to allowance of deduction), but (iii) shall be taken into account under section 170(b) (relating to percentage limitation). (C) Identifying information No distribution shall be excluded from the gross income under subparagraph (A) unless the taxpayer provides on the return of tax the name and address of the entity to whom the distribution is made. In the case of a failure to provide the information required by 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. (4) Eligible entity For purposes of this section, the term eligible entity means any entity described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of section 170(c) other than a private foundation described in subsection (b)(1)(F). . (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.