Recent Tax Legislation

Major Individual Related Provisions of the new tax legislation:

• Income tax rates. The 10% individual income tax bracket as well as the 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35% individual income tax brackets are extended through 2012.

• Capital gains rates. The capital gains rates will remain at 0% for taxpayers below the 25% bracket and 15% for taxpayers in the 25% rate and above, through 2012.

• Dividends taxed at capital gains rates. The current dividend rates of 0% for taxpayers below the 25% bracket and 15% for taxpayers in the 25% bracket and above are extended through 2012.

• Employee payroll tax cut. For 2011 only, the Social Security (OASDI) tax rate on employees is reduced to 4.2% (from 6.2%) and reduces the self-employment tax (SECA) rate to 10.4% (from 12.4%).

• Child tax credit. The new law generally continues the increased child tax credit of $1,000 per child through 2012.

• Adoption credit and adoption assistance programs. The new law generally continues the current refundable credit through 2011, and in 2012 the credit will become nonrefundable. For 2013 and after the credit will revert back to its pre-2001 levels and apply only for adoptions of special needs children.

• Dependent care credit. The current credit is extended for an additional two years, through 2012.

• Earned income credit. The current credit is extended for an additional two years, through 2012.

• Deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers. The Act extends, from 2009, the $250 above-the-line deduction for professional expenses incurred by elementary and secondary schoolteachers through 2011.

• Deduction of state and local taxes. The Act extends, from 2009, the election available to taxpayers who itemize their deductions to deduct state and local sales taxes in lieu of state and local income taxes.

• Tax-free distributions from individual retirement plans for charitable purposes. Through 2011, the Act allows taxpayers age 70¹/₂ or older to make tax-free distributions to charities from their traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and Roth IRAs up to $100,000 per taxpayer, per taxable year. Although this provision expired at the end of 2009, the Act permits individuals to make charitable transfers during January of 2011 as if they were made during 2010.

• Employer-provided mass transit and parking benefits. The Act extends the increase (set at $230 in 2010) in the combined monthly exclusion for employer-provided transit and vanpool benefits through the end of 2011.

• Deduction for mortgage insurance premiums. The Act extends for one year, through 2011, the itemized deduction for the cost of mortgage insurance on a qualified personal residence. The deduction is phased-out ratably by 10% for each $1,000 by which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds $100,000, so that the deduction is unavailable for a taxpayer with an AGI in excess of $110,000.

• Above-the-line deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses. The Act extends, from 2009, the above-the-line deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses through 2011. The maximum deduction is $4,000 for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes not exceeding $65,000 ($130,000 for joint returns) and $2,000 for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes not exceeding $80,000 ($160,000 for joint returns).

• Coverdell education savings accounts. These are tax-exempt savings accounts used to pay the higher education expenses of a designated beneficiary. The $2,000 annual contribution amount and expanded definition of education expenses to include elementary and secondary school expenses are extended by the Act for an additional two years, through 2012.

• Exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance. An employee may exclude from gross income up to $5,250 for income and employment tax purposes per year of employer-provided education assistance. Earlier legislation expanded this provision to include graduate as well as undergraduate education through the end of 2010. The Act extends this expansion of the exclusion for an additional two years, through 2012.

• Student loan interest deduction. Individuals who have paid interest on qualified education loans may claim an above-the-line deduction for the interest expenses up to $2,500. Before 2001, taxpayers were allowed this deduction only for 60 months and it was phased out for taxpayers with incomes between $40,000 and $55,000 ($60,000 and $75,000 for joint filers). Legislation in 2001 eliminated the 60-month rule and increased the income phase-out to $55,000 to $70,000 ($110,000 and $140,000 for joint filers). The Act extends the 2001 changes to this provision for an additional two years, through 2012.

• American Opportunity Tax Credit. The Act extends this temporary expansion of the Hope Credit through 2012. Generally, the credit is for up to $2,500 of the cost of tuition and related expenses paid during the taxable year. The credit is allowable for the first four year of post-secondary education and 40% of the credit is refundable. The credit is subject to a phase-out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $80,000 ($160,000 for married couples filing jointly).

• Credit for non-business energy property. The Act extends, from 2010, the non-business energy property credit to property placed in service on or before December 31, 2011, but utilizes the credit structure and rates that existed before the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Thus, for property installed after December 31, 2010, the credit is 10%, with a maximum of $500, with $200 of that for windows. The Act prohibits taxpayers from taking the credit for expenditures for qualified energy efficiency improvements made from subsidized energy financing.

• Exclusion of 100 percent of gain on certain small business stock. The Act extends the 100% exclusion of the gain from the sale of qualifying small business stock acquired before 2012, and held for more than five years. In addition, the alternative minimum tax preference item attributable for the sale remains eliminated. Qualifying small business stock is stock from a C corporation whose gross assets do not exceed $50 million (including the proceeds received from the issuance of the stock) and that meets a specific active business requirement. The amount of gain eligible for the exclusion is limited to the greater of 10 times the taxpayer's basis in the stock or $10 million of gain from stock in that corporation.

Major Business Related Provisions of the new tax legislation:

• Bonus Depreciation. The Act extends the 50% bonus depreciation provision for qualified property acquired after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2013. In addition, it allows 100% bonus depreciation for property acquired and placed in service after September 8, 2010, and before January 1, 2012. Thus, taxpayers can claim a 100% depreciation deduction for property acquired and placed in service in the latter third of 2010, all of 2011 (and 2012, for certain property). Property placed in service during 2012 (2013 for certain property) would be eligible for 50% bonus depreciation. The Act also extends the provision allowing corporate taxpayers to elect to accelerate the AMT and research credits in lieu of bonus depreciation to the 2011 and 2012 taxable years.

• Small Business Expensing. Under prior legislation, for taxable years beginning in 2010 and 2011, small businesses may elect to expense up to $500,000 of capital investment, with the phase out beginning at $2,000,000. The limits were scheduled to be lowered to $25,000 with a $200,000 limitation for 2012. Under the new law, for 2012, such amount is raised to $125,000, with a phase out threshold of $500,000 (both figures to be adjusted for inflation). A $25,000 maximum and $200,000 phase out threshold will apply for tax years beginning after 2012 and will not be adjusted for inflation.

• Incentives for Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the credits for biodiesel, renewable diesel used as fuel, and biodiesel mixture, and the payments for non-taxable biodiesel mixture, for fuel sold or used through December 31, 2011. The Act also provides that biodiesel mixture credits properly determined during 2010 will be allowed, and any refunds or payments attributable to those credits will be made according to IRS guidance.

• Credit for Refined Coal Facilities. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the renewable electricity production credit for facilities producing refined coal that are placed in service before January 1, 2012.

• New Energy Efficient Home Credit. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the new energy efficient home credit for qualified homes acquired from an eligible contractor on or before December 31, 2011.

• Excise Tax Credits and Outlay Payments for Alternative Fuel and Alternative Fuel Mixtures. The Act allows credits for alternative fuel and alternative fuel mixtures (excepting, in both cases, liquefied hydrogen) and payments for non-taxable alternative fuel and alternative fuel mixtures (excepting, in both cases, liquefied hydrogen) to such fuels sold or used on or before December 31, 2011. The Act also continues to exclude black liquor from credit eligibility. Finally, the Act provides that credits for alternative fuel or alternative fuel mixtures properly determined during 2010 will be allowed, and refunds or payments attributable to those credits will be made according to IRS guidance.

• Suspension of Limitation on Percentage Depletion for Oil and Gas from Marginal Wells. The Act extends the temporary suspension of the taxable income limit on percentage depletion for oil and gas from marginal wells to depletion determined for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2012.

• Extension of Grants for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits. The Act extends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grants for specified energy property in lieu of tax credits through 2011.

• Extension of Provisions Related to Alcohol Used as Fuel. The Act extends the alcohol fuels credit to any sale or use of such fuels for any period on or before December 31, 2011. However, the credit does not apply to any period before January 1, 2012, during which time the Highway Trust Fund gasoline excise tax financing rates are 4.3 cents per gallon. In addition, the Act extends the reduced credit for ethanol blenders through 2011. The Act also provides that the payments for non-taxable alcohol fuel mixtures apply to such fuel sold or used on or before 2011.

• Energy Efficient Appliance Credit. The Act extends the energy efficient appliance credit for qualifying dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerators manufactured in calendar year 2011. The Act decreases the aggregate credit amount allowed to $25,000,000, less the credit amount allowed in all prior tax years. Also, the Act excludes the most efficient refrigerators and front-loading clothes washers from the aggregate credit amount.

• Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property. The Act extends, from December 31, 2010, the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit to any non-hydrogen related property placed in service on or before December 31, 2011.

• Research Credit. Although the research credit expired on December 31, 2009, the Act extends the credit for amounts paid or incurred on or before December 31, 2011. The December 31, 2008 termination date for the alternative incremental credit election remains unchanged.

• New Markets Tax Credit. The Act sets a new national designated investment limitation for the new markets tax credit of $3.5 billion in 2010 and 2011, and permits unused credits to be carried over to 2016.

• Mine Rescue Team Training Credit. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the mine rescue team training credit of 20% of the cost of training rescue team members to tax years beginning before January 1, 2012.

• Employer Wage Credit for Employees Who Are Active Duty Members of the Uniformed Services. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the activated military reservist wage payment credit of 20% of differential wage payments made to activated military reservists for payments made before January 1, 2012.

• 15-Year Straight-Line Cost Recovery for Qualified Leasehold Improvements, Qualified Restaurant Buildings and Improvements, and Qualified Retail Improvements. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the special 15-year cost recovery period for certain leasehold improvements, restaurant buildings and improvements, and retail improvements to qualified property placed in service before 2012.

• Charitable Deduction for Contributions of Food Inventory. The Act extends the special rule for charitable deductions for contributions of food inventory made from the taxpayer's trade or business that expired on December 31, 2009, to contributions made on or before December 31, 2011.

• Charitable Deduction for Contributions of Book Inventories to Public Schools. The Act extends the special rule for charitable deductions for contributions of book inventory to public schools that expired on December 31, 2009, to contributions on or before December 31, 2011.

• Charitable Deduction for Corporate Contributions of Computer Inventory for Educational Purposes. The Act extends the special rule for charitable deductions for contributions of computer technology and equipment for educational purposes that expired on December 31, 2009, to contributions made on or before December 31, 2011.

• Election to Expense Mine Safety Equipment. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the election to expense mine safety equipment, generally available for 50% of the cost of any qualified advanced mine safety equipment property, to property placed in service before 2012.

• Special Expensing Rules for Certain Film and Television Productions. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the special expensing rules for certain film and television producers to qualified television or film production costs beginning before 2012. The deduction is generally applicable to the first $15 million of qualified television or film production costs.

• Expensing of Environmental Remedial Costs. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the election to deduct environmental remediation costs in lieu of capitalization through December 31, 2011.

• Deduction Allowable with Respect to Income Attributable to Domestic Production Activities of Puerto Rico. The Act extends the special domestic production activities rules for Puerto Rico to apply for the first six taxable years of a taxpayer beginning after December 31, 2005, and before January 1, 2012.

• Treatment of Certain Dividends of Regulated Investment Companies. The Act extends, from December 31, 2009, the exemption from the 30% withholding tax and for qualified interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends received by a foreign person from a regulated investment company (RIC) through December 31, 2011.

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