Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 p6

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Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 page6

House Bill

The House bill clarifies that the exclusion of income that is treated as high-taxed income does not apply for purposes of the separate foreign tax credit limitation applicable to financial services income. No inference is intended regarding the treatment of high-taxed income for purposes of the separate foreign tax credit limitation applicable to financial services income under present law.

Effective date. --The provision is effective on date of enactment.

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment is the same as the House bill.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement follows the House bill and the Senate amendment.

G. Other Foreign Provisions

1. Eligibility of licenses of computer software for foreign sales corporation benefits (sec. 1101 of the House bill and sec. 741 of the Senate amendment)

Present law

Under special tax provisions that provide an export benefit, a portion of the foreign trade income of an eligible foreign sales corporation("FSC") is exempt from Federal income tax. Foreign trade income is defined as the gross income of a FSC that is attributable to foreign trading gross receipts. The term "foreign trading gross receipts" includes the gross receiptsof a FSC from the sale, lease, or rental of export property and from services related and subsidiary to such sales, leases, or rentals.

For purposes of the FSC rules, export property is defined as property (1) which is manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted in the United States by a person other than a FSC; (2) which is held primarily for sale, lease, or rental in the ordinary conduct of a trade or business by or to a FSC for direct use, consumption, or disposition outside the United States; and (3) not more than 50 percent of the fair market value of which is attributable to articles imported into the United States. Intangible property generally is excluded from the definition of export property for purposes of the FSC rules; this exclusion applies to copyrights other than films, tapes, records,or similar reproductions for commercial or home use. The temporary Treasury regulations provide that a license of a master recording tape for reproduction outside the United States is not excluded from the definition of export property (Treas. Reg. sec. 1.927(a)-1T(f)(3)). The statutory exclusion for intangible property does not contain any specific reference to computer software. However, the temporary Treasury regulations provide that a copyright on computer software does not constitute export property, and that standardized, mass marketed computer software constitutes export property if such software is not accompanied by a right to reproduce for external use (Treas. Reg. sec. 1.927(a)-1T(f)(3)).

House Bill

The House bill provides that computer software licensed for reproduction abroad is not excluded from the definition of export property forpurposes of the FSC provisions. Accordingly, computer software that is exported with a right to reproduce is eligible for the benefits of the FSC provisions. In light of the rapid innovations in the computer and software industries, the Committee intends that the term "computer software" be construed broadly toaccommodate technological changes in the products produced by both industries. No inference is intended regarding the qualification as export property of computer software licensed for reproduction abroad under present law.

Effective date. --The provision generally applies to gross receiptsfrom computer software licenses attributable to periods after December 31, 1997 . Accordingly, in the case of a multi-year license, the provision applies to gross receipts attributable to the period of such license that is after December 31, 1997 . In the case of gross receipts attributable to 1998, the provision applies to only one-third of such gross receipts. In the case of gross receipts attributable to 1999, the provision applies to only two-thirds of such gross receipts.

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment is the same as the House bill, with a modification to the effective date.

Effective date. --The provision applies to gross receipts fromcomputer software licenses attributable to periods after December 31, 1997 . Accordingly, in the case of a multi-year license, the provision applies to gross receipts attributable to the period of such license that is after December 31, 1997 .

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement follows the Senate amendment.

2. Increase dollar limitation on section 911 exclusion (sec. 1102 of the House bill)

Present Law

U.S. citizens generally are subject to U.S. income tax on all their income, whether derived in the United States or elsewhere. A U.S. citizen who earns income in a foreign country also may be taxed on such income by that foreign country. A credit against the U.S. income tax imposed on foreign source income is allowed for foreign taxes paid on such income.

U.S. citizens living abroad may be eligible to exclude from their income for U.S. tax purposes certain foreign earned income and foreign housing costs. In order to qualify for these exclusions, a U.S. citizen must be either (1) a bona fide resident of a foreign country for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire taxable year or (2) present overseas for 330 days out of any 12 consecutive month period. In addition, the taxpayer must have his or her tax home in a foreign country.

The exclusion for foreign earned income generally applies to income earned from sources outside the United States as compensation for personal services actually rendered by the taxpayer. The maximum exclusion for foreign earned income for a taxable year is $70,000.

The exclusion for housing costs applies to reasonable expenses, other than deductible interest and taxes, paid or incurred by or on behalf of the taxpayer for housing for the taxpayer and his or her spouse and dependents in a foreign country. The exclusion amount for housing costs for a taxable year is equal to the excess of such housing costs for the taxable year over an amount computed pursuant to a specified formula.

The combined earned income exclusion and housing cost exclusion may not exceed the taxpayer's total foreign earned income. The taxpayer's foreign tax credit is reduced by the amount the credit that is attributable to excluded income.

House Bill

Under the House bill, the $70,000 limitation on the exclusion for foreign earned income is increased to $80,000, in increments of $2,000 each year beginning in 1998. The $80,000 limitation on the exclusion for foreign earned income is indexed for inflation beginning in 2008 (for inflation after 2006).

Effective date. --The provision is effective for taxable yearsbeginning after December 31, 1997 .

Senate Amendment

No provision.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement follows the House bill.

3. Treatment of certain securities positions under the subpart F investment in U.S. property rules (sec. 743 of the Senate amendment)

Present Law

Under the rules of subpart F (secs. 951-964), the U.S. 10-percent shareholders of a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) are required to include in income currently for U.S. tax purposes certain earnings of the CFC, whether or not such earnings are distributed currently to the shareholders. The U.S. 10-percent shareholders of a CFC are subject to current U.S. tax on their shares of certain income earned by the CFC (referred to as "subpart F income"). The U.S. 10-percent shareholders also are subject to currentU.S. tax on their shares of the CFC's earnings to the extent invested by theCFC in certain U.S. property.

A shareholder's current income inclusion with respect to a CFC's investment in U.S. property for a taxable year is based on the CFC's average investment in U.S. property for such year. For this purpose, the U.S. property held by the CFC must be measured as of the close of each quarter in the taxable year. U.S. property generally is defined to include tangible property located in the United States , stock of a U.S. corporation, obligations of a U.S. person, and the right to use certain intellectual property in the United States . Exceptions are provided for, among other things, obligations of the United States , U.S. bank deposits, certain trade or business obligations, and stock or debts of certain unrelated U.S. corporations.

House Bill

No provision.

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment provides two additional exceptions from the definition of U.S. property for purposes of the subpart F rules. Both exceptions relate to transactions entered into by a securities or commodities dealer in the ordinary course of its business as a securities or commodities dealer.

The first exception covers the deposit of collateral or margin by a securities or commodities dealer, or the receipt of such a deposit by a securities or commodities dealer, if such deposit is made or received on commercial terms in the ordinary course of the dealer's business as a securities or commodities dealer. This exception applies to deposits of margin or collateral for securities loans, notional principal contracts, options contracts, forward contracts, futures contracts, and any other financial transaction with respect to which the Secretary of the Treasury determines that the posting of collateral or margin is customary.

The second exception covers repurchase agreement transactions and reverse repurchase agreement transactions entered into by or with a securities or commodities dealer in the ordinary course of its business as a securities or commodities dealer. The exception applies only to the extent that the obligation under the transaction does not exceed the fair market value of readily marketable securities transferred or otherwise posted as collateral.

Effective date. --The provision is effective for taxable years offoreign corporations beginning after December 31, 1997 , and taxable years of U.S. shareholders with or within which such taxable years of foreign corporations end.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement generally follows the Senate amendment. Under the conference agreement, for purposes of these two additional exceptions under section 956, the term "dealer in commodities" means futurescommission merchants and dealers in commodities within the meaning of the new definition that is added to section 475 by the conference agreement. In addition, the conferees wish to clarify that the addition of these two exceptions under section 956 is not intended to create any inference regarding the treatment of an obligation of a U.S. person to return stock that is borrowed pursuant to a securities loan.

4. Exception from foreign personal holding company income under subpart F for active financing income (sec. 744 of the Senate amendment)

Present Law

Under the subpart F rules, certain U.S. shareholders of a controlled foreign corporation ("CFC") are subject to U.S. tax currently on certainincome earned by the CFC, whether or not such income is distributed to the shareholders. The income subject to current inclusion under the subpart F rules includes, among other things, "foreign personal holding company income" andinsurance income. The U.S. 10-percent shareholders of a CFC also are subject to current inclusion with respect to their shares of the CFC's foreign base company services income (i.e., income derived from services performed for a related person outside the country in which the CFC is organized).

Foreign personal holding company income generally consists of the following: dividends, interest, royalties, rents and annuities; net gains from sales or exchanges of (1) property that gives rise to the preceding types of income, (2) property that does not give rise to income, and (3) interests in trusts, partnerships, and REMICs; net gains from commodities transactions; net gains from foreign currency transactions; and income that is equivalent to interest.

Insurance income subject to current inclusion under the subpart F rules includes any income of a CFC attributable to the issuing or reinsuring of any insurance or annuity contract in connection with risks located in a country other than the CFC's country of organization and related person insurance income. Subpart F insurance income also includes income attributable to an insurance contract in connection with risks located within the CFC's country of organization, as the result of an arrangement under which another corporation receives a substantially equal amount of consideration for insurance of other-country risks. Investment income of a CFC that is allocable to any insurance or annuity contract related to risks located outside the CFC's country of organization is taxable as subpart F insurance income (Prop. Treas. reg. sec. 1.953-1(a)). Investment income allocable to risks located within the CFC's country of organization generally is taxable as foreign personal holding company income.

House Bill

No provision.

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment provides a temporary exception from foreign personal holding company income for subpart F purposes for certain income that is derived in the active conduct of an insurance, banking, financing or similar business. Such exception is applicable only for taxable years beginning in 1998.

Under the Senate amendment, foreign personal holding company income does not include income that is derived in or incident to the active conduct of a banking, financing or similar business by a CFC that is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of such business. For this purpose, income derived in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business generally is determined under the principles applicable in determining financial services income for foreign tax credit limitation purposes. Moreover, the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe regulations applying look-through treatment in characterizing for this purpose dividends, interest, income equivalent to interest, rents, and royalties from related persons. A CFC is considered to be predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business if (1) more than 70 percent of its gross income is derived from transactions with unrelated persons and more than 20 percent of its gross income from that business is derived from transactions with unrelated persons located within the country in which the CFC is organized or incorporated, or (2) the CFC is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a banking or securities business, or is a qualified bank or securities affiliate, as defined for purposes of the passive foreign investment company provisions.

Under the Senate amendment, foreign personal holding company income also does not include certain investment income of a qualifying insurance company with respect to risks located within the CFC's country of organization. These exceptions apply to income derived from investments of assets equal to the total of (1) unearned premiums and reserves ordinary and necessary for the proper conduct of the CFC's insurance business, (2) one-third of premiums earned during the taxable year on insurance contracts regulated in the country in which sold as property, casualty, or health insurance contracts, and (3) the greater of $10 million or 10 percent of reserves for insurance contracts regulated in the country in which sold as life insurance or annuity contracts. For this purpose, a qualifying insurance company is an entity that is subject to regulation as an insurance company under the laws of its country of incorporation and that realizes at least 50 percent of its gross income (other than income from investments) from premiums related to risks located within such country. These exceptions for insurance investment income do not apply to investment income which is received by the CFC from a related person. Similarly, the exceptions do not apply to investment income that is attributable directly or indirectly to the insurance or reinsurance of risks of related persons. The Senate amendment does not change the rule of present law that investment income of a CFC that is attributable to the issuing or reinsuring any insurance or annuity contract related to risks outside of its country of organization is taxable as Subpart F insurance income.

The Senate amendment also provides an exception from foreign base company services income for income derived from services performed in connection with the active conduct of a banking, financing, insurance or similar business by a CFC that is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of such business.

Effective date. --The provision applies only to taxable years offoreign corporations beginning in 1998, and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which such taxable years of foreign corporations end.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement generally follows the Senate amendment with modifications.

Under the conference agreement, the temporary exception from foreign personal holding company income applies to income that is derived in the active conduct of a banking, financing or similar business by a CFC that is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of such business. For this purpose, income derived in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business generally is determined under the principles applicable in determining financial services income for foreign tax credit limitation purposes. However, in the case of a corporation that is engaged in the active conduct of a banking or securities business, the income that is eligible for this exception is determined under the principles applicable in determining the income which is treated as nonpassive income for purposes of the passive foreign investment company provisions. The conferees generally intend that the income of a corporation engaged in the active conduct of a banking or securities business that is eligible for this exception is the income that is treated as nonpassive under the regulations proposed under section 1296(b). See Prop. Treas. Reg. secs. 1.1296-4 and 1.1296-6. In this regard, the conferees intend that eligible income will include income or gains with respect to foreclosed property which is incident to the active conduct of a banking business.

For purposes of the temporary exception, a corporation is considered to be predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business if it is engaged in the active conduct of a banking or securities business or is a qualified bank affiliate or qualified securities affiliate. In this regard, the conferees intend that a corporation will be considered to be engaged in the active conduct of a banking or securities business if the corporation would be treated as so engaged under the regulations proposed under section 1296(b); the conferees further intend that qualified bank affiliates and qualified securities affiliates will be as determined under such proposed regulations. See Prop. Treas. Reg. secs. 1.1296-4 and 1.1296-6.

Alternatively, a corporation is considered to be engaged in the active conduct of a banking, financing or similar business if more than 70 percent of its gross income is derived from such business from transactions with unrelated persons located within the country under the laws of which the corporation is created or organized. For this purpose, income derived by a qualified business unit of a corporation from transactions with unrelated persons located in the country in which the qualified business unit maintains its principal office and conducts substantial business activity is treated as derived by the corporation from transactions with unrelated persons located within the country in which the corporation is created or organized. A person other than a natural person is considered to be located within the country in which it maintains an office through which it engages in a trade or business and by which the transaction is effected. A natural person is treated as located within the country in which such person is physically located when such person enters into the transaction.

The conference agreement provides a temporary exception from foreign personal holding company income for certain investment income of a qualifying insurance company with respect to risks located within the CFC's country of creation or organization. The rules of this provision of the conference agreement differ from the rules of present-law section 953 of the Code, which determines the subpart F inclusions of a U.S. shareholder relating to insurance income of a CFC. Such insurance income under section 953 generally is computed in accordance with the rules of subchapter L of the Code. The conferees believe that review of the rules of this provision would be appropriate when final guidance under section 953 is published by the Treasury Department.

The conference agreement provides a temporary exception for income (received from a person other than a related person) from investments made by a qualifying insurance company of its reserves or 80 percent of its unearned premiums (as defined for purposes of the provision). For this purpose, in the case of contracts regulated in the country in which sold as property, casualty, or health insurance contracts, unearned premiums and reserves mean unearned premiums and reserves for losses incurred determined using the methods and interest rates that would be used if the qualifying insurance company were subject to tax under subchapter L of the Code. Thus, for this purpose, unearned premiums are determined in accordance with section 832(b)(4), and reserves for losses incurred are determined in accordance with section 832(b)(5) and 846 of the Code (as well as any other rules applicable to a U.S. property and casualty insurance company with respect to such amounts).

In the case of a contract regulated in the country in which sold as a life insurance or annuity contract, the following three alternative rules for determining reserves are provided under the conference agreement. It is intended that any one of the three rules may be elected with respect to a particular line of business.

First, reserves for such contracts may be determined generally under the rules applicable to domestic life insurance companies under subchapter L of the Code, using the methods there specified, but substituting for the interest rates in Code section 807(d)(2)(B) an interest rate determined for the country in which the qualifying insurance company was created or organized, calculated in the same manner as the mid-term applicable Federal interest rate("AFR") (within the meaning of section 1274(d)).

Second, the reserves for such contracts may be determined generally using a preliminary term foreign reserve method, except that the interest rate to be used is the interest rate determined for the country in which the qualifying insurance company was created or organized, calculated in the same manner as the mid-term AFR. If a qualifying insurance company uses such a preliminary term method with respect to contracts insuring risks located in the country in which the company is created or organized, then such method is the method that applies for purposes of this election.

Third, reserves for such contracts may be determined to be equal to the net surrender value of the contract (as defined in section 807(e)(1)(A)).

In no event may the reserve for any contract at any time exceed the foreign statement reserve for the contract, reduced by any catastrophe or deficiency reserve. This rule applies whether the contract is regulated as a property, casualty, health, life insurance, annuity, or any other type of contract.

The conference agreement also provides a temporary exception for income from investment of assets equal to (1) one-third of premiums earned during the taxable year on insurance contracts regulated in the country in which sold as property, casualty, or health insurance contacts, and (2) the greater of 10 percent of reserves, or, in the case of a qualifying insurance company that is a startup company, $10 million. For this purpose, a startup company is a company (including any predecessor) that has not been engaged in the active conduct of an insurance business for more than 5 years. It is intended that the 5-year period commences when the foreign company first is engaged in the active conduct of an insurance business. If the foreign company was formed before being acquired by the U.S. shareholder, the 5-year period commences when the acquired company first was engaged in the active conduct of an insurance business. The conferees intend that in the event of the acquisition of a book of business from another company through an assumption or indemnity reinsurance transaction, the period commences when the acquiring company first engaged in the active conduct of an insurance business, except that if more than a substantial part (e.g., 80 percent) of the business of the ceding company is acquired, then the 5-year period commences when the ceding company first engaged in the active conduct of an insurance business. In addition, it is not intended that reinsurance transactions among related persons be used to multiply the number of 5-year periods.

To prevent the shifting of relatively high-yielding assets to generate investment income that qualifies under this temporary exception, the conference agreement provides that, under rules prescribed by the Secretary, income is allocated to contracts as follows. In the case of contracts that are separate-account-type contracts (including variable contracts not meeting the requirements of section 817), only the income specifically allocable to such contracts is taken into account. In the case of other contracts, income not specifically allocable is allocated ratably among such contracts.

The conference agreement modifies the definition of a qualifying insurance company. Under the conference agreement, a qualifying insurance company means any entity which: (1) is regulated as an insurance company under the laws of the country in which it is incorporated; (2) derives at least 50 percent of its net written premiums from the insurance or reinsurance of risks situated within its country of incorporation; and (3) is engaged in the active conduct of an insurance business and would be subject to tax under subchapter L if it were a domestic corporation.

The conference agreement clarifies that this provision does not apply to investment income (includable in the income of a U.S. shareholder of a CFC pursuant to section 953) allocable to contracts that insure related party risks or risks located in a country other than the country in which the qualifying insurance company is created or organized.

Finally, the conference agreement provides an anti-abuse rule applicable for purposes of these temporary exceptions from foreign personal holding company income. For purposes of applying these exceptions, items with respect to a transaction or series of transactions shall be disregarded if one of the principal purposes of the transaction or transactions is to qualify income or gain for these exceptions, including any change in the method of computing reserves or any other transaction or transactions one of the principal purposes of which is the acceleration or deferral of any item in order to claim the benefits of these exceptions.

The conferees recognize that insurance, banking, financing, and similar businesses are businesses the active conduct of which involves the generation of income, such as interest and dividends, of a type that generally is treated as passive for purposes of subpart F. For purposes of this temporary provision, the conferees intend to delineate the income derived in the active conduct of such businesses, while retaining the present-law anti-deferral rules of subpart F with respect to income not derived in the active conduct of these financial services businesses. However, the conferees recognize that the line between income derived in the active conduct of such businesses and income otherwise derived by entities so engaged can be difficult to draw. The conferees believe that the issues of the determination of income derived in the active conduct of such businesses and the potential mobility of the business activity and income recognition of insurance, banking, financing, and similar businesses require further study. In the event that it becomes necessary to consider a possible extension of the provision in the future, the conferees would invite the comments of taxpayers and the Treasury Department regarding these issues.

5. Treat service income of nonresident alien individuals earned on foreign ships as foreign source income and disregard the U.S. presence of such individuals (sec. 745 of the Senate amendment)

Present Law

Nonresident alien individuals generally are subject to U.S. taxation and withholding on their U.S. source income. Compensation for labor and personal services performed within the United States is considered U.S. source unless such income qualifies for a de minimis exception. To qualify for the exception, the compensation paid to a nonresident alien individual must not exceed $3,000, the compensation must reflect services performed on behalf of a foreign employer, and the individual must be present in the United Sates for not more than 90 days during the taxable year. Special rules apply to exclude certain items from the gross income of a nonresident alien. An exclusion applies to gross income derived by a nonresident alien individual from the international operation of a ship if the country in which such individual is resident provides a reciprocal exemption for U.S. residents. However, this exclusion does not apply to income from personal services performed by an individual crew member on board a ship. Consequently, wages exceeding $3,000 in a taxable year that are earned by nonresident alien individual crew members of a foreign ship while the vessel is within U.S. territory are subject to income taxation by the United States.

U.S. residents are subject to U.S. tax on their worldwide income. In general, a non-U.S. citizen is considered to be a resident of the United States if the individual (1) has entered the United States as a lawful permanent U.S. resident or (2) is present in the United States for 31 or more days during the current calendar year and has been present in the United States for a substantial period of time --183 or more days --during a three-yearperiod computed by weighting toward the present year (the "substantial presence test"). An individual generally is treated as present in the UnitedStates on any day if such individual is physically present in the United States at any time during the day. Certain categories of individuals (e.g., foreign government employees and certain students) are not treated as U.S. residents even if they are present in the United States for the requisite period of time. Crew members of a foreign vessel who are on board the vessel while it is stationed within U.S. territorial waters are treated as present in the United States .

House Bill

No provision.

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment treats gross income of a nonresident alien individual, who is present in the United States as a member of the regular crew of a foreign vessel, from the performance of personal services in connection with the international operation of a ship as income from foreign sources. Thus, such income is exempt from U.S. income and withholding tax. However, such persons are not excluded for purposes of applying the minimum participation standards of section 410 to a plan of the employer. In addition, for purposes of determining whether an individual is a U.S. resident under the substantial presence test, the Senate amendment provides that the days that such individual is present as a member of the regular crew of a foreign vessel are disregarded.

Effective date. --The provision is effective for taxable yearsbeginning after December 31, 1997 .

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement generally follows the Senate amendment with modifications. The conference agreement provides that the treatment of income of a nonresident alien crew member of a foreign vessel as foreign source income will not apply for purposes of the pension rules and certain employee benefit provisions. The conference agreement further provides that, for purposes of determining whether an individual is a U.S. resident under the substantial presence test, any day that such individual is present as a member of the regular crew of a foreign vessel is disregarded only if the individual does not otherwise engage in trade or business within the United States on such day.

XII. SIMPLIFICATION PROVISIONS RELATING TO INDIVIDUALS ANDBUSINESSES

A. Provisions Relating to Individuals

1. Modifications to standard deduction of dependents; AMT treatment of certain minor children (sec. 1201 of the House bill and sec. 1001 of the Senate amendment)

Present Law

Standard deduction of dependents. --The standard deduction of ataxpayer for whom a dependency exemption is allowed on another taxpayer's return can not exceed the lesser of (1) the standard deduction for an individual taxpayer (projected to be $4,250 for 1998) or (2) the greater of $500 (indexed)¹ or the dependent's earned income (sec. 63(c)(5)).

Taxation of unearned income of children under age 14. --The tax on a portion of the unearned income (e.g., interest and dividends) of a child under age 14 is the additional tax that the child's custodial parent would pay if the child's unearned income were included in that parent's income. The portion of the child's unearned income which is taxed at the parent's top marginal rate is the amount by which the child's unearned income is more than the sum of (1) $500 ² (indexed) plus (2) the greater of (a) $500 ³ (indexed) or (b) the child's itemized deductions directly connected with the production of the unearned income (sec. 1(g)).

Alternative minimum tax (" AMT ") exemption for children underage 14. --Single taxpayers are entitled to an exemption from thealternative minimum tax (" AMT ") of $33,750. However, in the case of a childunder age 14, his exemption from the AMT , in substance, is the unused alternative minimum tax exemption of the child's custodial parent, limited to sum of earned income and $1,400 (sec. 59(j)).

House Bill

Standard deduction of dependents. --The House bill increases the standard deduction for a taxpayer with respect to whom a dependency exemption is allowed on another taxpayer's return to the lesser of (1) the standard deduction for individual taxpayers or (2) the greater of: (a) $500 ⁴ (indexed for inflation as under present law), or (b) the individual's earned income plus $250. The $250 amount is indexed for inflation after 1998. Alternative minimum tax exemption for children under age 14. --TheHouse bill increases the AMT exemption amount for a child under age 14 to the lesser of (1) $33,750 or (2) the sum of the child's earned income plus $5,000. The $5,000 amount is indexed for inflation after 1998.

Effective date. --The provision is effective for taxable yearsbeginning after December 31, 1997 .

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment is the same as the House bill.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement follows the House bill and the Senate amendment.

2. Increase de minimis threshold for estimated tax to $1,000 for individuals (sec. 1202 of the House bill and sec. 1002 of the Senate amendment)

Present Law

An individual taxpayer generally is subject to an addition to tax for any underpayment of estimated tax (sec. 6654). An individual generally does not have an underpayment of estimated tax if he or she makes timely estimated tax payments at least equal to: (1) 100 percent of the tax shown on the return of the individual for the preceding year (the "100 percent of last year's liability safe harbor") or (2) 90 percent of the tax shown on the returnfor the current year. The 100 percent of last year's liability safe harbor is modified to be a 110 percent of last year's liability safe harbor for any individual with an AGI of more than $150,000 as shown on the return for the preceding taxable year. Income tax withholding from wages is considered to be a payment of estimated taxes. In general, payment of estimated taxes must be made quarterly. The addition to tax is not imposed where the total tax liability for the year, reduced by any withheld tax and estimated tax payments, is less than $500.

House Bill

The House bill increases the $500 individual estimated tax de minimis threshold to $1,000.

Effective date. --The provision is effective for taxable yearsbeginning after December 31, 1997 .

Senate Amendment

The Senate amendment is the same as the House bill.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement follows the House bill and the Senate amendment.

3. Optional methods for computing SECA tax combined (sec. 1203 of the House bill)

Present Law

The Self-Employment Contributions Act ("SECA") imposes taxes onnet earnings from self-employment to provide social security coverage to self-employed workers. The maximum amount of earnings subject to the SECA tax is coordinated with, and is set at the same level as, the maximum level of wages and salaries subject to FICA taxes ($65,000 for OASDI taxes in 1997 and indexed annually, and without limit for the Hospital Insurance tax). Special rules allow certain self-employed individuals to continue to maintain social security coverage during a period of low income. The method applicable to farmers is slightly more favorable than the method applicable to other self-employed persons.

A farmer may increase his or her self-employment income, for purposes of obtaining social security coverage, by reporting two-thirds of the first $2,400 of gross income as net earnings from self-employment, i.e., the optional amount of net earnings from self-employment would not exceed $1,600. There is no limit on the number of times a farmer may use this method. The optional method for non farm income is similar, also permitting two-thirds of the first $2,400 of gross income to be treated as self-employment income. However, the optional non farm method may not be used more than five times by any individual, and may only be used if the taxpayer had net earnings from self-employment of $400 or more in at least two of the three years immediately preceding the year in which the optional method is elected.

In general, to receive benefits, including Disability Insurance Benefits, under the Social Security Act, a worker must have a minimum number of quarters of coverage. A minimum amount of wages or self-employment income must be reported to obtain a quarter of coverage. A maximum of four quarters of coverage may be obtained each year. In 1978, the amount of earnings required to obtain a quarter of coverage began increasing each year. Starting in 1994, a farmer could obtain only two quarters of coverage under the optional method applicable to farmers.

House Bill

The House bill combines the farm and non farm optional methods into a single combined optional method applicable to all self-employed workers. A self-employed worker may elect to use the optional method an unlimited number of times. If it is used, it must be applied to all self-employment earnings for the year, both farm and non farm.

The $2,400 amount is increased to an amount which would provide four quarters of coverage in 1998 (the "lower limit"). Such amount increaseseach year based on the earnings requirements under the Social Security Act.

The optional method in this provision is elected on a year-by-year basis. An election for a taxable year must be filed with the original Federal income tax return for the year, and may not be made retroactively by filing an amended return.

Effective date : The provision is effective for taxable years beginning after January 1, 1998 .

Senate Amendment

No provision.

Conference Agreement

The conference agreement does not include the House bill provision.

4. Treatment of certain reimbursed expenses of rural letter carriers' vehicles (sec. 1204 of the House bill and sec. 1003 of the Senate amendment)

Present Law

A taxpayer who uses his or her automobile for business purposes may deduct the business portion of the actual operation and maintenance expenses of the vehicle, plus depreciation (subject to the limitations of sec. 280F). Alternatively, the taxpayer may elect to utilize a standard mileage rate in computing the deduction allowable for business use of an automobile that has not been fully depreciated. Under this election, the taxpayer's deduction equals the applicable rate multiplied by the number of miles driven for business purposes and is taken in lieu of deductions for depreciation and actual operation and maintenance expenses.

An employee of the U.S. Postal Service may compute his deduction for business use of an automobile in performing services involving the collection and delivery of mail on a rural route by using, for all business use mileage, 150 percent of the standard mileage rate.

Rural letter carriers are paid an equipment maintenance allowance ( EMA ) to compensate them for the use of their personal automobiles in delivering the mail. The tax consequences of the EMA are determined by comparing it with the automobile expense deductions that each carrier is allowed to claim (using either the actual expenses method or the 150 percent of the standard mileage rate). If the EMA exceeds the allowable automobile expense deductions, the excess generally is subject to tax. If the EMA falls short of the allowable automobile expense deductions, a deduction is allowed only to the extent that the sum of this shortfall and all other miscellaneous itemized deductions exceeds two percent of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income.

House Bill

The House bill repeals the special rate for Postal Service employees of 150 percent of the standard mileage rate. In its place, the House bill requires that the rate of reimbursement provided by the Postal Service to rural letter carriers be considered to be equivalent to their expenses. The rate of reimbursement that is considered to be equivalent to their expenses is the rate of reimbursement contained in the 1991 collective bargaining agreement, which may be increased by no more than the rate of inflation.

Effective date. --The provision is effective for taxable yearsbeginning after December 31, 1997 .

Senate Amendment