[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1518 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1518

  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an income tax 
                    credit to long-term caregivers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 5, 1999

   Mr. Bayh introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an income tax 
                    credit to long-term caregivers.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Caregivers Assistance and Resources 
Enhancement (CARE) Tax Credit Act''.

SEC. 2. LONG-TERM CARE TAX CREDIT.

    (a) Allowance of Credit.--
            (1) In general.--Section 24(a) of the Internal Revenue Code 
        of 1986 (relating to allowance of child tax credit) is amended 
        to read as follows:
    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--There shall be allowed as a credit 
against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year an amount 
equal to the sum of--
            ``(1) $500 multiplied by the number of qualifying children 
        of the taxpayer, plus
            ``(2) $1,000 multiplied by the number of applicable 
        individuals with respect to whom the taxpayer is an eligible 
        caregiver for the taxable year.''
            (2) Additional credit for taxpayer with 3 or more separate 
        credit amounts.--So much of section 24(d) of such Code as 
        precedes paragraph (1)(A) thereof is amended to read as 
        follows:
    ``(d) Additional Credit for Taxpayers With 3 or More Separate 
Credit Amounts.--
            ``(1) In general.--If the sum of the number of qualifying 
        children of the taxpayer and the number of applicable 
        individuals with respect to which the taxpayer is an eligible 
        caregiver is 3 or more for any taxable year, the aggregate 
        credits allowed under subpart C shall be increased by the 
        lesser of--''.
            (3) Conforming amendments.--
                    (A) The heading for section 32(n) of such Code is 
                amended by striking ``Child'' and inserting ``Family 
                Care''.
                    (B) The heading for section 24 of such Code is 
                amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 24. FAMILY CARE CREDIT.''

                    (C) The table of sections for subpart A of part IV 
                of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by 
                striking the item relating to section 24 and inserting 
                the following new item:

``Sec. 24. Family care credit.''
    (b) Definitions.--Section 24(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 (defining qualifying child) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Qualifying child.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualifying child' 
                means any individual if--
                            ``(i) the taxpayer is allowed a deduction 
                        under section 151 with respect to such 
                        individual for the taxable year,
                            ``(ii) such individual has not attained the 
                        age of 17 as of the close of the calendar year 
                        in which the taxable year of the taxpayer 
                        begins, and
                            ``(iii) such individual bears a 
                        relationship to the taxpayer described in 
                        section 32(c)(3)(B).
                    ``(B) Exception for certain noncitizens.--The term 
                `qualifying child' shall not include any individual who 
                would not be a dependent if the first sentence of 
                section 152(b)(3) were applied without regard to all 
                that follows `resident of the United States'.
            ``(2) Applicable individual.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `applicable individual' 
                means, with respect to any taxable year, any individual 
                who has been certified, before the due date for filing 
                the return of tax for the taxable year (without 
                extensions), by a physician (as defined in section 
                1861(r)(1) of the Social Security Act) as being an 
                individual with long-term care needs described in 
                subparagraph (B) for a period--
                            ``(i) which is at least 180 consecutive 
                        days, and
                            ``(ii) a portion of which occurs within the 
                        taxable year.
                Such term shall not include any individual otherwise 
                meeting the requirements of the preceding sentence 
                unless within the 39\1/2\ month period ending on such 
                due date (or such other period as the Secretary 
                prescribes) a physician (as so defined) has certified 
                that such individual meets such requirements.
                    ``(B) Individuals with long-term care needs.--An 
                individual is described in this subparagraph if the 
                individual meets any of the following requirements:
                            ``(i) The individual is at least 6 years of 
                        age and--
                                    ``(I) is unable to perform (without 
                                substantial assistance from another 
                                individual) at least 3 activities of 
                                daily living (as defined in section 
                                7702B(c)(2)(B)) due to a loss of 
                                functional capacity, or
                                    ``(II) requires substantial 
                                supervision to protect such individual 
                                from threats to health and safety due 
                                to severe cognitive impairment and is 
                                unable to perform at least 1 activity 
                                of daily living (as so defined) or to 
                                the extent provided in regulations 
                                prescribed by the Secretary (in 
                                consultation with the Secretary of 
                                Health and Human Services), is unable 
                                to engage in age appropriate 
                                activities.
                            ``(ii) The individual is at least 2 but not 
                        6 years of age and is unable due to a loss of 
                        functional capacity to perform (without 
                        substantial assistance from another individual) 
                        at least 2 of the following activities: eating, 
                        transferring, or mobility.
                            ``(iii) The individual is under 2 years of 
                        age and requires specific durable medical 
                        equipment by reason of a severe health 
                        condition or requires a skilled practitioner 
                        trained to address the individual's condition 
                        to be available if the individual's parents or 
                        guardians are absent.
            ``(3) Eligible caregiver.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A taxpayer shall be treated as 
                an eligible caregiver for any taxable year with respect 
                to the following individuals:
                            ``(i) The taxpayer.
                            ``(ii) The taxpayer's spouse.
                            ``(iii) An individual with respect to whom 
                        the taxpayer is allowed a deduction under 
                        section 151 for the taxable year.
                            ``(iv) An individual who would be described 
                        in clause (iii) for the taxable year if section 
                        151(c)(1)(A) were applied by substituting for 
                        the exemption amount an amount equal to the sum 
                        of the exemption amount, the standard deduction 
                        under section 63(c)(2)(C), and any additional 
                        standard deduction under section 63(c)(3) which 
                        would be applicable to the individual if clause 
                        (iii) applied.
                            ``(v) An individual who would be described 
                        in clause (iii) for the taxable year if--
                                    ``(I) the requirements of clause 
                                (iv) are met with respect to the 
                                individual, and
                                    ``(II) the requirements of 
                                subparagraph (B) are met with respect 
                                to the individual in lieu of the 
                                support test of section 152(a).
                    ``(B) Residency test.--The requirements of this 
                subparagraph are met if an individual has as his 
                principal place of abode the home of the taxpayer and--
                            ``(i) in the case of an individual who is 
                        an ancestor or descendant of the taxpayer or 
                        the taxpayer's spouse, is a member of the 
                        taxpayer's household for over half the taxable 
                        year, or
                            ``(ii) in the case of any other individual, 
                        is a member of the taxpayer's household for the 
                        entire taxable year.
                    ``(C) Special rules where more than 1 eligible 
                caregiver.--
                            ``(i) In general.--If more than 1 
                        individual is an eligible caregiver with 
                        respect to the same applicable individual for 
                        taxable years ending with or within the same 
                        calendar year, a taxpayer shall be treated as 
                        the eligible caregiver if each such individual 
                        (other than the taxpayer) files a written 
                        declaration (in such form and manner as the 
                        Secretary may prescribe) that such individual 
                        will not claim such applicable individual for 
                        the credit under this section.
                            ``(ii) No agreement.--If each individual 
                        required under clause (i) to file a written 
                        declaration under clause (i) does not do so, 
                        the individual with the highest modified 
                        adjusted gross income (as defined in section 
                        32(c)(5)) shall be treated as the eligible 
                        caregiver.
                            ``(iii) Married individuals filing 
                        separately.--In the case of married individuals 
                        filing separately, the determination under this 
                        subparagraph as to whether the husband or wife 
                        is the eligible caregiver shall be made under 
                        the rules of clause (ii) (whether or not one of 
                        them has filed a written declaration under 
                        clause (i)).''
    (c) Identification Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--Section 24(e) of the Internal Revenue Code 
        of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        sentence: ``No credit shall be allowed under this section to a 
        taxpayer with respect to any applicable individual unless the 
        taxpayer includes the name and taxpayer identification number 
        of such individual, and the identification number of the 
        physician certifying such individual, on the return of tax for 
        the taxable year.''
            (2) Assessment.--Section 6213(g)(2)(I) of such Code is 
        amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``or physician identification'' 
                after ``correct TIN'', and
                    (B) by striking ``child'' and inserting ``family 
                care''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1999.
                                 <all>