Technical Corrections Act of 2016
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make technical corrections, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Amendments relating to Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015
“(6) Phase-down—In the case of qualified property placed in service by the taxpayer after December 31, 2017 (December 31, 2018, in the case of property described in subparagraph (2)(B) or (C)), paragraph (1)(A) shall be applied by substituting for “50 percent”—
“(A) “40 percent” in the case of—
“(i) property placed in service in 2018 (other than property described in subparagraph (2)(B) or (C)), and
“(ii) property described in subparagraph (2)(B) or (C) which is placed in service in 2019, and
“(B) “30 percent” in the case of—
“(i) property placed in service in 2019 (other than property described in subparagraph (2)(B) or (C)), and
“(ii) property described in subparagraph (2)(B) or (C) which is placed in service in 2020.”
“(ii) if the individual does not file a return of tax (or is not included as a dependent on the return of tax of another taxpayer) for 3 consecutive taxable years at least one of which ends after December 18, 2015, the due date for the return of tax for such third consecutive taxable year.”
“(4) Restrictions on taxpayers who improperly claimed American Opportunity Tax Credit in prior years
“(A) Taxpayers making prior fraudulent or reckless claims
“(i) In general—No American Opportunity Tax Credit shall be allowed under this section for any taxable year in the disallowance period.
“(ii) Disallowance period—For purposes of subparagraph (A), the disallowance period is—
“(I) the period of 10 taxable years after the most recent taxable year for which there was a final determination that the taxpayer’s claim of the American Opportunity Tax Credit under this section was due to fraud, and
“(II) the period of 2 taxable years after the most recent taxable year for which there was a final determination that the taxpayer's claim of the American Opportunity Tax Credit under this section was due to reckless or intentional disregard of rules and regulations (but not due to fraud).
“(B) Taxpayers making improper prior claims—In the case of a taxpayer who is denied the American Opportunity Tax Credit under this section for any taxable year as a result of the deficiency procedures under subchapter B of chapter 63, no American Opportunity Tax Credit shall be allowed under this section for any subsequent taxable year unless the taxpayer provides such information as the Secretary may require to demonstrate eligibility for such credit.”
“(d) Limitations based on modified adjusted gross income
“(1) American Opportunity Tax Credit—The American Opportunity Tax Credit (determined without regard to this paragraph) shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount which bears the same ratio to such credit (as so determined) as—
“(A) the excess of—
“(i) the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income for such taxable year, over
“(ii) $80,000 ($160,000 in the case of a joint return), bears to
“(B) $10,000 ($20,000 in the case of a joint return).
“(2) Lifetime Learning Credit—The Lifetime Learning Credit (determined without regard to this paragraph) shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount which bears the same ratio to such credit (as so determined) as—
“(A) the excess of—
“(i) the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income for such taxable year, over
“(ii) $40,000 ($80,000 in the case of a joint return), bears to
“(B) $10,000 ($20,000 in the case of a joint return).
“(3) Modified adjusted gross income—For purposes of this subsection, the term modified adjusted gross income means the adjusted gross income of the taxpayer for the taxable year increased by any amount excluded from gross income under section 911, 931, or 933.”
“(D) Required course materials taken into account for American Opportunity Tax Credit—For purposes of determining the American Opportunity Tax Credit, subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting “tuition, fees, and course materials” for “tuition and fees”.”
“(A) In general—No credit”
“(B) Additional identification requirements with respect to American Opportunity Tax Credit
“(i) Student—The requirements of subparagraph (A) shall not be treated as met with respect to the American Opportunity Tax Credit unless the individual's taxpayer identification number was issued on or before the due date for filing the return of tax for the taxable year.
“(ii) Taxpayer—No American Opportunity Tax Credit shall be allowed under this section if the taxpayer identification number of the taxpayer was issued after the due date for filing the return for the taxable year.
“(iii) Institution—No American Opportunity Tax Credit shall be allowed under this section unless the taxpayer includes the employer identification number of any institution to which qualified tuition and related expenses were paid with respect to the individual.”
“(h) Inflation adjustment
“(1) In general—In the case of a taxable year beginning after 2001, the $40,000 and $80,000 amounts in subsection (d)(2) shall each be increased by an amount equal to—
“(A) such dollar amount, multiplied by
“(B) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year in which the taxable year begins, determined by substituting “calendar year 2000” for “calendar year 1992” in subparagraph (B) thereof.
“(2) Rounding—If any amount as adjusted under paragraph (1) is not a multiple of $1,000, such amount shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $1,000.”
“(i) Portion of American Opportunity Tax Credit made refundable—40 percent of so much of the credit allowed under subsection (a) as is attributable to the American Opportunity Tax Credit (determined after application of subsection (d) and without regard to this paragraph and section 26(a)) shall be treated as a credit allowable under subpart C (and not allowed under subsection (a)). The preceding sentence shall not apply to any taxpayer for any taxable year if such taxpayer is a child to whom subsection (g) of section 1 applies for such taxable year.”
“(Q) an omission of information required by section 25A(b)(4)(B) or an entry on the return claiming the American Opportunity Tax Credit for a taxable year for which such credit is disallowed under section 25A(b)(4)(A).”
“(B) Exception—In the case of a qualified shareholder with 1 or more applicable investors—
“(i) subparagraph (A)(i) shall not apply to the applicable percentage of the stock of the real estate investment trust held by the qualified shareholder, and
“(ii) the applicable percentage of the”
“(F) Applicable percentage—For purposes of subparagraph (B), the term applicable percentage means the percentage of the value of the interests (other than interests held solely as a creditor) in the qualified shareholder held by applicable investors.”
“(i) which—
“(I) is eligible for benefits under the comprehensive income tax treaty described in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), but only if the dividends article of such treaty imposes conditions on the benefits allowable in the case of dividends paid by a real estate investment trust, and
“(II) is eligible under such treaty”
Sec. 3 Amendment relating to Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016
Sec. 4 Amendments relating to Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act
Sec. 5 Amendments relating to Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015
“(k) Inconsistent estate basis reporting—For purposes of this section, there is an “inconsistent estate basis” if the adjusted basis of property (to which section 1014(f) applies) claimed on a return exceeds the amount that would have been so claimed if the basis of such property had been properly determined under such section.”
Sec. 6 Amendments relating to Stephen Beck, Jr., ABLE Act of 2014
“(h) Effective date
“(1) In general—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendments”
“(2) Subsection (c)—The amendment made by subsection (c) shall apply to returns or claims for refund filed after December 31, 2014.”
Sec. 7 Amendment relating to American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
Sec. 8 Amendment relating to United States–Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
Sec. 9 Clerical corrections
Sec. 10 Deadwood-related provisions
“(C) Computer technology or equipment—The term computer technology or equipment means computer software (as defined by section 197(e)(3)(B)), computer or peripheral equipment (as defined by section 168(i)(2)(B)), and fiber optic cable related to computer use.”