[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3738 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3738

  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an additional 
      standard deduction for real property taxes for nonitemizers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2006

  Mr. Baucus (for himself and Mr. Menendez) 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 additional 
      standard deduction for real property taxes for nonitemizers.

    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 ``Nonitemizer Real Property Tax 
Deduction Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL STANDARD DEDUCTION FOR REAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR 
              NONITEMIZERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 63(c)(1) (defining standard deduction) is 
amended by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking 
the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ``, and'', and 
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) the real property tax deduction.''.
    (b) Definition.--Section 63(c) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(8) Real property tax deduction.--For purposes of 
        paragraph (1), the real property tax deduction is so much of 
        the amount of State and local real property taxes (within the 
        meaning of section 164) paid or accrued by the taxpayer during 
        the taxable year which do not exceed $500 ($1,000 in the case 
        of a joint return).''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006.

SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF ECONOMIC SUBSTANCE DOCTRINE.

    (a) In General.--Section 7701 is amended by redesignating 
subsection (o) as subsection (p) and by inserting after subsection (n) 
the following new subsection:
    ``(o) Clarification of Economic Substance Doctrine; etc.--
            ``(1) General rules.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In any case in which a court 
                determines that the economic substance doctrine is 
                relevant for purposes of this title to a transaction 
                (or series of transactions), such transaction (or 
                series of transactions) shall have economic substance 
                only if the requirements of this paragraph are met.
                    ``(B) Definition of economic substance.--For 
                purposes of subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) In general.--A transaction has 
                        economic substance only if--
                                    ``(I) the transaction changes in a 
                                meaningful way (apart from Federal tax 
                                effects) the taxpayer's economic 
                                position, and
                                    ``(II) the taxpayer has a 
                                substantial nontax purpose for entering 
                                into such transaction and the 
                                transaction is a reasonable means of 
                                accomplishing such purpose.
                        In applying subclause (II), a purpose of 
                        achieving a financial accounting benefit shall 
                        not be taken into account in determining 
                        whether a transaction has a substantial nontax 
                        purpose if the origin of such financial 
                        accounting benefit is a reduction of income 
                        tax.
                            ``(ii) Special rule where taxpayer relies 
                        on profit potential.--A transaction shall not 
                        be treated as having economic substance by 
                        reason of having a potential for profit 
                        unless--
                                    ``(I) the present value of the 
                                reasonably expected pre-tax profit from 
                                the transaction is substantial in 
                                relation to the present value of the 
                                expected net tax benefits that would be 
                                allowed if the transaction were 
                                respected, and
                                    ``(II) the reasonably expected pre-
                                tax profit from the transaction exceeds 
                                a risk-free rate of return.
                    ``(C) Treatment of fees and foreign taxes.--Fees 
                and other transaction expenses and foreign taxes shall 
                be taken into account as expenses in determining pre-
                tax profit under subparagraph (B)(ii).
            ``(2) Special rules for transactions with tax-indifferent 
        parties.--
                    ``(A) Special rules for financing transactions.--
                The form of a transaction which is in substance the 
                borrowing of money or the acquisition of financial 
                capital directly or indirectly from a tax-indifferent 
                party shall not be respected if the present value of 
                the deductions to be claimed with respect to the 
                transaction is substantially in excess of the present 
                value of the anticipated economic returns of the person 
                lending the money or providing the financial capital. A 
                public offering shall be treated as a borrowing, or an 
                acquisition of financial capital, from a tax-
                indifferent party if it is reasonably expected that at 
                least 50 percent of the offering will be placed with 
                tax-indifferent parties.
                    ``(B) Artificial income shifting and basis 
                adjustments.--The form of a transaction with a tax-
                indifferent party shall not be respected if--
                            ``(i) it results in an allocation of income 
                        or gain to the tax-indifferent party in excess 
                        of such party's economic income or gain, or
                            ``(ii) it results in a basis adjustment or 
                        shifting of basis on account of overstating the 
                        income or gain of the tax-indifferent party.
            ``(3) Definitions and special rules.--For purposes of this 
        subsection--
                    ``(A) Economic substance doctrine.--The term 
                `economic substance doctrine' means the common law 
                doctrine under which tax benefits under subtitle A with 
                respect to a transaction are not allowable if the 
                transaction does not have economic substance or lacks a 
                business purpose.
                    ``(B) Tax-indifferent party.--The term `tax-
                indifferent party' means any person or entity not 
                subject to tax imposed by subtitle A. A person shall be 
                treated as a tax-indifferent party with respect to a 
                transaction if the items taken into account with 
                respect to the transaction have no substantial impact 
                on such person's liability under subtitle A.
                    ``(C) Exception for personal transactions of 
                individuals.--In the case of an individual, this 
                subsection shall apply only to transactions entered 
                into in connection with a trade or business or an 
                activity engaged in for the production of income.
                    ``(D) Treatment of lessors.--In applying paragraph 
                (1)(B)(ii) to the lessor of tangible property subject 
                to a lease--
                            ``(i) the expected net tax benefits with 
                        respect to the leased property shall not 
                        include the benefits of--
                                    ``(I) depreciation,
                                    ``(II) any tax credit, or
                                    ``(III) any other deduction as 
                                provided in guidance by the Secretary, 
                                and
                            ``(ii) subclause (II) of paragraph 
                        (1)(B)(ii) shall be disregarded in determining 
                        whether any of such benefits are allowable.
            ``(4) Other common law doctrines not affected.--Except as 
        specifically provided in this subsection, the provisions of 
        this subsection shall not be construed as altering or 
        supplanting any other rule of law, and the requirements of this 
        subsection shall be construed as being in addition to any such 
        other rule of law.
            ``(5) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such 
        regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the 
        purposes of this subsection. Such regulations may include 
        exemptions from the application of this subsection.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to transactions entered into after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 4. PENALTY FOR UNDERSTATEMENTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO TRANSACTIONS 
              LACKING ECONOMIC SUBSTANCE, ETC.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter A of chapter 68 is amended by inserting 
after section 6662A the following new section:

``SEC. 6662B. PENALTY FOR UNDERSTATEMENTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO TRANSACTIONS 
              LACKING ECONOMIC SUBSTANCE, ETC.

    ``(a) Imposition of Penalty.--If a taxpayer has an noneconomic 
substance transaction understatement for any taxable year, there shall 
be added to the tax an amount equal to 40 percent of the amount of such 
understatement.
    ``(b) Reduction of Penalty for Disclosed Transactions.--Subsection 
(a) shall be applied by substituting `20 percent' for `40 percent' with 
respect to the portion of any noneconomic substance transaction 
understatement with respect to which the relevant facts affecting the 
tax treatment of the item are adequately disclosed in the return or a 
statement attached to the return.
    ``(c) Noneconomic Substance Transaction Understatement.--For 
purposes of this section--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `noneconomic substance 
        transaction understatement' means any amount which would be an 
        understatement under section 6662A(b)(1) if section 6662A were 
        applied by taking into account items attributable to 
        noneconomic substance transactions rather than items to which 
        section 6662A would apply without regard to this paragraph.
            ``(2) Noneconomic substance transaction.--The term 
        `noneconomic substance transaction' means any transaction if--
                    ``(A) there is a lack of economic substance (within 
                the meaning of section 7701(o)(1)) for the transaction 
                giving rise to the claimed benefit or the transaction 
                was not respected under section 7701(o)(2), or
                    ``(B) the transaction fails to meet the 
                requirements of any similar rule of law.
    ``(d) Rules Applicable to Compromise of Penalty.--
            ``(1) In general.--If the 1st letter of proposed deficiency 
        which allows the taxpayer an opportunity for administrative 
        review in the Internal Revenue Service Office of Appeals has 
        been sent with respect to a penalty to which this section 
        applies, only the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may 
        compromise all or any portion of such penalty.
            ``(2) Applicable rules.--The rules of paragraphs (2) and 
        (3) of section 6707A(d) shall apply for purposes of paragraph 
        (1).
    ``(e) Coordination With Other Penalties.--Except as otherwise 
provided in this part, the penalty imposed by this section shall be in 
addition to any other penalty imposed by this title.
    ``(f) Cross References.--

            ``(1) For coordination of penalty with 
            understatements under section 6662 and other 
            special rules, see section 6662A(e).
            ``(2) For reporting of penalty imposed under 
            this section to the Securities and Exchange 
            Commission, see section 6707A(e).''.
    (b) Coordination With Other Understatements and Penalties.--
            (1) The second sentence of section 6662(d)(2)(A) is amended 
        by inserting ``and without regard to items with respect to 
        which a penalty is imposed by section 6662B'' before the period 
        at the end.
            (2) Subsection (e) of section 6662A is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and 
                noneconomic substance transaction understatements'' 
                after ``reportable transaction understatements'' both 
                places it appears,
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``and a 
                noneconomic substance transaction understatement'' 
                after ``reportable transaction understatement'',
                    (C) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``6662B or'' 
                before ``6663'',
                    (D) in paragraph (2)(C)(i), by inserting ``or 
                section 6662B'' before the period at the end,
                    (E) in paragraph (2)(C)(ii), by inserting ``and 
                section 6662B'' after ``This section'',
                    (F) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or noneconomic 
                substance transaction understatement'' after 
                ``reportable transaction understatement'', and
                    (G) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(4) Noneconomic substance transaction understatement.--
        For purposes of this subsection, the term `noneconomic 
        substance transaction understatement' has the meaning given 
        such term by section 6662B(c).''.
            (3) Subsection (e) of section 6707A is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (B), and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
                following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(C) is required to pay a penalty under section 
                6662B with respect to any noneconomic substance 
                transaction, or
                    ``(D) is required to pay a penalty under section 
                6662(h) with respect to any transaction and would (but 
                for section 6662A(e)(2)(C)) have been subject to 
                penalty under section 6662A at a rate prescribed under 
                section 6662A(c) or under section 6662B,''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for part II of 
subchapter A of chapter 68 is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 6662A the following new item:

``Sec. 6662B. Penalty for understatements attributable to transactions 
                            lacking economic substance, etc.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to transactions entered into after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
                                 <all>