legislative updates

Proposed legislation would permit tax-free retirement savings distributions of up to $2,500 per year—indexed for inflation—that are used to purchase long-term care insurance.

Richard Neal (D-MA) and Kevin Brady (R-TX) have introduced the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2020, described as building on major retirement legislation enacted in December 2019.

The IRS has updated deadline relief for completing certain time-sensitive, tax-related acts for victims of California wildfires that began on August 14, 2020.

The House of Representatives has released text of a revised COVID-19 pandemic relief bill, expected to be voted on this week before the House recesses for pre-election campaigning.

H.R. 7370, the Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act of 2020, has been introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).

S. 4539 has been introduced with COVID-19 liability protection for businesses and healthcare providers, a tax credit for employer COVID-19 testing, and several retirement provisions.

The Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act (S.178), did not receive the votes needed to proceed to a final vote on the package.

Senate GOP leadership expected to vote on the Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act (S. 178).

Legislation is introduced for Health Savings Accounts for All Act of 2020 (S.4367) to expand access and reduce restrictions on HSAs.

Rep. Sean Maloney (D-NY) has introduced H.R. 7645, legislation that would extend the time period for taxpayers to withdraw coronavirus-related distributions (CRDs) from retirement savings arrangements and receive the special tax benefits that CRDs provide. Certain withdrawals could be tax-free under the legislation.

CRDs, as defined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, are eligible for the following tax benefits for withdrawn amounts up to $100,000 (currently, only for withdrawals in 2020).

• Three-year taxation on amounts withdrawn
• Exemption from the 10 percent excise tax for early (pre-59½) distributions
• The option to repay such withdrawn amounts within three years

Included in the bill is expected to be a provision that would make CRDs tax-free if the taxpayer qualifies as a first-time home buyer. “Expected,” because neither bill text nor a summary is available at this time. Details of legislative intent are being inferred from the bill’s description at the official congressional web site:

“To extend the time period for making coronavirus-related distributions from retirement plans and to provide an exclusion from gross income of coronavirus-related distributions which are first-time homebuyer distributions.” 

H.R. 7645 has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.