Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

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R46358

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

ongress continues to consider proposals intended to alleviate the economic effects

associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19, pandemic. One such

proposal, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES)

Act (H.R. 6800), was introduced in the House on May 12, 2020, and passed by the House on May

15, 2020. 1 To date, the Senate has not considered H.R. 6800. A revised version of The Heroes Act

(H.R. 8406) was introduced on September 29, 2020. The House adopted the revised version of

the Heroes Act on October 1, 2020, as a House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 925.

Division F of H.R. 8406 (adopted as H.R. 925), or the COVID-19 Tax Relief Act of 2020,

contains a number of individual and business tax provisions, including



a one-time direct payment to eligible individuals;

enhanced benefits and/or expanded eligibility for the earned income tax credit

(EITC), child tax credit, and child and dependent care tax credit, and suspension

of the limitation on the deduction for state and local taxes paid;



expanded utilization options for certain employee health and dependent care

benefits;

expansions of tax credits for paid sick leave and paid family leave;

tax benefits for businesses and employers, including tax credits for employers

retaining and hiring employees in businesses subject to COVID-19-related

interruptions and deductibility of expenses financed by forgiven Paycheck

Protection Program loans; and

a permanent limitation on using noncorporate business losses to offset

nonbusiness income, and reduced ability to carry back recent net operating

losses.



The COVID-19 Tax Relief Act of 2020 was included in Division B of H.R. 6800. In addition to

the provisions above, the May 2020 version contained additional tax credits for employers and

employees in businesses susceptible to COVID-19-related interruptions and an expansion of

eligibility for the direct payments provided in the CARES Act.

Consideration of The Heroes Act follows enactment of other laws addressing the COVID-19

crisis. Those laws are (1) the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental

Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-123); (2) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

(FFCRA; P.L. 116-127); (3) the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

(P.L. 116-136);2 and (4) the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act

(P.L. 116-139).

Table 1 briefly summarizes the tax provisions in Division F of the September 2020 version of the

Heroes Act (H.R. 8406, adopted as H.R. 925). Table 2 briefly summarizes the major tax

provisions in Division B of the May 2020 version of the Heroes Act (H.R. 6800). Links to CRS

resources with additional relevant information, where available, are provided in both tables.

1 H.R. 6800, as passed by the House on May 15, 2020, is the Heroes Act (as opposed to the Health and Economic

Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act , which was the title of the bill when introduced).

2 For more on tax provisions in the CARES Act, see CRS Report R46279, The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic

Security (CARES) Act—Tax Relief for Individuals and Businesses, coordinated by Molly F. Sherlock. For more on

other CARES Act provisions, see CRS Report R46299, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act:

CRS Experts, by William L. Painter and Diane P. Horn.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimated that the revenue provisions of the revised

Heroes Act (H.R. 8406, adopted as H.R. 925) would reduce federal revenue by $298.4 billion

over the FY2021-FY2030 budget window (Table 3). 3 The JCT estimated that the earlier version

of the Heroes Act (H.R. 6800) would have reduced federal revenue by $762.4 billion over the

FY2020-FY2030 budget window (Table 4). 4

Table 1. The Heroes Act (H.R. 8406, adopted as H.R. 925): Division F—Revenue

Provisions

(COVID-19 Tax Relief Act of 2020; September 2020)

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Title I—Economic Stimulus

Subtitle A—Additional Recovery Rebates to Individuals

Additional Recovery

Rebates to Individuals

Would enact additional direct payments for

individuals. These payments would be structured

as refundable tax credits against 2020 income

taxes, but would be issued (and hence received)

in 2020, as opposed to 2021 (when 2020 income

tax returns will be filed). Amount and eligibility

for the advanced credit would generally be based

on information from 2019 income tax returns (or

2018 returns, if 2019 had not been filed).

Payments would equal $1,200 per eligible

individual ($2,400 for married joint filers), and

$500 for each eligible dependent.

The payment would phase out at a rate of $5 per

$100 of income above $75,000 ($112,500 for

head of household filers, $150,000 for married

joint filers).

For background, see



CRS Insight IN11513,

COVID-19 and Direct

Payments to Individuals:

Comparison of Recent

Proposals for a Second Round

of Payments, by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Report R46415, CARES

Act (P.L. 116-136) Direct

Payments: Resources and

Experts, coordinated by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Insight IN11282, COVID19 and Direct Payments to

Individuals: Summary of the

2020 Recovery

Rebates/Economic Impact

Payments in the CARES Act

(P.L. 116-136), by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Insight IN11234, Tax

Cuts as Fiscal Stimulus:

Comparing a Payroll Tax Cut to

a One-Time Tax Rebate, by

Molly F. Sherlock and

Donald J. Marples.



CRS Report RS21126, Tax

Cuts and Economic Stimulus:

How Effective Are the

Alternatives?, by Jane G.

Gravelle.

Eligible individuals would need to provide a

taxpayer ID—either an SSN or ITIN—to receive

the payment.

These payments would generally be exempt from

reduction for debts owed to or collected by

governmental agencies (including past-due child

support) and private/commercial debts.

For eligible individuals who did not file a 2019 or

2018 income tax return and who were recipients

of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income

(SSI), or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

benefits, Treasury would be directed to issue

payments based on information provided to the

Social Security Administration (SSA) or VA.

Would clarify that if a direct payment for a

specified Social Security, Supplemental Security

Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement, or Veterans

beneficiary was deposited into the account of a

Joint Committee on T axation, JCX-21-20, Estimated Revenue Effects of the Revenue Provisions Contained in the

Heroes Act, As Passed by the House of Representatives on October 1, 2020 (Rules Committee Print 116 -66), October

14, 2020.

4 Joint Committee on T axation, JCX-16-20, Estimated Revenue Effects of the Revenue Provisions Contained in H.R.

6800, T he “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutio ns (‘HEROES’) Act,” As Passed By T he

House of Representatives on May 15, 2020, May 28, 2020.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

representative payee (“payee”) or fiduciary, it

shall be used only for the benefit of the entitled

beneficiary. The payee and fiduciary enforcement

provisions would apply as under current law.

Treasury would be directed to conduct outreach

to other eligible nonfilers.

Any checks could not include the name,

signature, image, or likeness of any elected

official, including the President or Vice President

of the United States.

Treasury would be required to provide weekly

updates to Congress on the number and amount

of payments made.

If a taxpayer received a larger advanced credit in

2020 than they were eligible for on their 2020

income tax return, they generally would not be

required to pay it back. If an individual received

an advanced payment less than what they were

eligible for on their 2020 income tax return, they

could claim the difference on that return (filed in

2021).

Subtitle B—Earned Income Tax Credit

Strengthening the

Earned Income Tax

Credit for Individuals

with No Qualifying

Children a

Would temporarily for 2020 expand both

eligibility for and the amount of the EITC for

taxpayers without qualifying children by modifying

the eligibility age and credit formula.

Regarding eligibility age, would expand eligibility

for the earned income tax credit (EITC) for

individuals with no qualifying children—

sometimes referred to as the “childless EITC”—

by increasing the maximum eligibility age from 64

to 65, and by allowing eligible taxpayers ages 19

to 24 to claim the childless EITC so long as they

are not students. Qualified foster youth and

homeless youth aged 18-24 would be allowed to

claim the credit even if they are students.a

For background, see



CRS Report R43805, The

Earned Income Tax Credit

(EITC): How It Works and

Who Receives It, by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick and Gene

Falk.

Regarding the credit amount, would temporarily

increase the childless EITC by increasing the

earned income amount and phaseout threshold

amounts to $9,720 and $11,590, respectively,

while also doubling the phase-in and phaseout

rates from 7.65% to 15.3%. The maximum EITC

would increase from $538 to $1,487 in 2020.

Taxpayers Eligible for

Childless Earned Income

Credit in Case of

Qualifying Children who

Fail to Meet Certain

Identification

Requirementsa

Would permanently allow taxpayers who

currently cannot claim the childless EITC because

all of their qualifying children do not have SSNs

to be eligible to claim the childless EITC.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

Credit Allowed in Case

of Certain Separated

Spousesa

Would permanently allow married taxpayers

who file their tax returns as married filing

separately to claim the EITC if they live with a

child for whom they can claim the EITC for more

than half the year and either (1) do not have the

same principal place of abode as their spouse for

the last six months of the year, or (2) have a

decree, instrument, or agreement (i.e., other

than a divorce decree) and do not live with their

spouse at the end of the year.

Elimination of

Disqualified Investment

Income Test a

Would permanently eliminate the disqualified

investment income test. Under current law,

taxpayers with investment income over a certain

threshold—$3,650 in 2020—are ineligible for

claiming the EITC. Disqualified investment

income is defined as interest income (including

tax-exempt interest), dividends, net rent, net

capital gains, and net passive income. It also

includes royalties from sources other than the

filer’s ordinary business activities.

Application of Earned

Income Tax Credit in

Possessions of the

United Statesa

Would permanently provide authority to make

payments to Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and

mirror-code territories for amounts they pay out

in the EITC. For Puerto Rico and American

Samoa, such payments would be contingent upon

increasing the amount of their EITC or enacting

an EITC, respectively.

Temporary Special Rule

for Determining Earned

Income for Purposes of

Earned Income Tax

Credit a

For the purposes of calculating their EITC on

their 2020 income tax return, would allow

taxpayers to substitute their 2019 earned income

for their 2020 earned income if their earned

income at the end of 2020 was less than their

prior-year earned income.

CRS Resources

For background, see



CRS Report R44651, Tax

Policy and U.S. Territories:

Overview and Issues for

Congress, by Sean Lowry.

Subtitle C—Child Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit

Improvements for 2020

Would eliminate the phase-in of the refundable

portion of the child credit (often referred to as

the “additional child credit” or ACTC) and

eliminate the maximum amount of the ACTC

($1,400). Hence the child credit would be a “fully

refundable” $2,000 per child credit for that year,

(still subject to the current law phaseout for

higher-income taxpayers). As a result, families

with little or no income would be able to receive

the maximum amount of the child tax credit as an

increase in their refund. (For these families, the

entire amount of their child tax credit would be

received as the ACTC.)

For background, see



CRS Report R41873, The

Child Tax Credit: Current Law,

by Margot L. CrandallHollick.



CRS Report R46502, The

Child Tax Credit: Selected

Legislative Proposals in the

116th Congress, by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick.

Would direct the IRS to establish a program to

advance the expanded credit to taxpayers on a

monthly basis (or as frequently as deemed

feasible by the Treasury Secretary). If the

advanced amounts were greater than the allowed

amount, the excess would be paid back by the

taxpayer.

All changes would be temporary for 2020.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Application of Child Tax

Credit in Possessionsa

Description

Would effectively expand child credit eligibility to

residents of Puerto Rico and mirror-code

territories by providing payments to Puerto Rico

and the territories for amounts they pay out in

the child credit. This change would be

permanent. Authorizes payments to American

Samoa in the amount that would have been paid

to residents of American Samoa if the credit

would have been provided to such residents.

CRS Resources

For background, see



CRS Report R44651, Tax

Policy and U.S. Territories:

Overview and Issues for

Congress, by Sean Lowry.

Subtitle D—Dependent Care Assistance

Refundability and

Enhancement of Child

and Dependent Care

Tax Credit a

Would create a more generous formula for the

child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC)

and make the credit refundable for 2020. The

expanded formula would allow eligible taxpayers

to claim up to 50% of employment-related child

care expenses for the credit (up from 35%) and

increase to $120,000 the income level at which

that percentage begins to phase out (up from

$15,000). Hence, the credit rate would phase

down to 20% when the taxpayer’s income was

greater than $180,000 (versus $43,000 under

current law). Would also double the maximum

amount of qualified expenses to $6,000 for

taxpayers with one qualifying dependent and

$12,000 for taxpayers with two or more

qualifying dependents (up from $3,000 and

$6,000, respectively). In addition, would

temporarily make the CDCTC refundable.

Increase in Exclusion for

Employer-Provided

Dependent Care

Assistancea

Would increase the maximum amount of

qualifying child care expenses that eligible

taxpayers could exclude from their income from

$5,000 to $10,500 for 2020.

For background, see



CRS Report R44993, Child

and Dependent Care Tax

Benefits: How They Work and

Who Receives Them, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.

Subtitle E—Credits for Paid Sick and Family Leave

Extension of Credits

Repeal of Reduced Rate

of Credit for Certain

Leavea

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act

(FFCRA; P.L. 116-127) includes refundable payroll

tax credits for certain required paid sick and

family leave for 2020. This provision would

extend the tax credits through February 28,

2021.

For more, see

The payroll tax credit for paid sick leave wages in

FFCRA is limited to $200 per day for certain

qualified leave taking, generally caring for an

individual affected by COVID-19 or caring for

their child whose school or place of care is

unavailable due to COVID-19. The credit is

limited to $511 per day if employees are taking

other forms of qualified sick leave, generally for

their own COVID-19-related purposes. This

provision would increase the maximum tax credit

to $511 for all sick leave purposes in FFCRA.

For more, see

Congressional Research Service



CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Increase in Limitations

on Credits for Paid

Family Leavea

The tax credit for family leave wages is limited to

$200 per day, and $10,000 total per employee.

For self-employed individuals, the family leave

credit is limited to 50 days. This provision would

increase the total credit amount to $12,000 per

employee, and allow self-employed individuals to

claim the credit for up to 60 days. This provision

is effective as if included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Election to Use PriorYear Net Earnings from

Self-Employment in

Determining Average

Daily Self-Employment

Incomea

Average daily self-employment income is an

amount equal to the net earnings from selfemployment for the taxable year divided by 260.

This provision would allow individuals to elect to

use average daily self-employment income from

2019, instead of 2020, to compute the credit.

This provision is effective as if included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Federal, State, and Local

Governments Allowed

Tax Credits for Paid Sick

and Paid Family and

Medical Leavea

The payroll tax credits for paid sick and family

leave in FFCRA do not apply to federal, state, or

local government employers, or any agency or

instrumentality of such governments.

Government employers are subject to new sick

and family leave requirements in FFCRA. This

provision would allow government employers to

claim payroll tax credits for required sick and

family leave. This provision is effective as if

included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Certain Technical

Improvementsa

Technical changes would coordinate the

definitions of qualified wages for paid sick leave,

paid family and medical leave, and the exclusion

of such leave from employer Old-Age, Survivors,

and Disability Insurance (OASDI) tax. This

provision is effective as if included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Credit Not Allowed to

Certain Large

Employersa

This provision would provide that private-sector

employers with 500 or more employees are not

eligible for tax credits for paid sick or family

leave. This restriction would not apply to federal,

state, or local government employers. The

provision would apply to wages paid after the

date of enactment.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

Subtitle F—Deduction of State and Local Taxes

Elimination for 2020

Limitation on Deduction

of State and Local Taxes

Taxpayers that itemize their deductions may

claim a deduction for certain state and local taxes

paid (the SALT deduction). The 2017 tax revision

(P.L. 115-97) limited SALT deduction claims for

tax years 2018 through 2025, set to $10,000 for

single taxpayers and married couples filing jointly

and $5,000 for married taxpayers filing

separately. That law also excluded foreign real

property taxes paid from SALT deduction claims

over the same time frame.

Would repeal the SALT deduction limit for tax

year 2020; would not modify the foreign real

property tax exclusion.

Congressional Research Service

For more, see



CRS Report R46246, The

SALT Cap: Overview and

Analysis, by Grant A.

Driessen and Joseph S.

Hughes.



CRS Report RL32781,

Federal Deductibility of State

and Local Taxes, by Grant A.

Driessen and Steven

Maguire.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Title II—Provisions to Prevent Business Interruption

Improvements to

Employee Retention and

Rehiring Credit

Would rename the employee retention credit

the employee retention and rehiring credit, and

would modify the tax credit to (1) increase the

credit rate from 50% to 80%; (2) increase the

amount of wages that can qualify for the credit

from $10,000 annually to $15,000 per quarter

(limited to $45,000 for the year); (3) modify

credit limitations for large employers, defining

large employers as those with more than 1,500

full-time employees in 2019 and gross receipts of

more than $41.5 million in 2019 (rather than an

employer with more than 100 employees); (4)

allow a partial credit for businesses with a 10% to

50% decline in gross receipts; (5) allow state and

local governments, and some federal

instrumentalities, to claim the credit; and (6)

provide that wages paid with federal government

grants are not credit-eligible.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11299,

COVID-19: The Employee

Retention Tax Credit, by Molly

F. Sherlock.



CRS Insight IN11436,

Employment Tax Incentives to

Promote Recovery from the

COVID-19 Recession: Policy

Options, by Gary Guenther

and Molly F. Sherlock.

Would apply retroactively to the effective date

provided in the CARES Act.

Certain Loan

Forgiveness and Other

Business Financial

Assistance under CARES

Act Not Includable in

Gross Income

Loan forgiveness for additional lenders to

participate in the Payment Protection Program,

advance payments for Emergency Injury Disaster

Loan (EIDL) grants, and payments of principle,

interest, and fees on behalf of borrowers under

covered loans, all authorized in the CARES Act,

as well as grants under the RESTAURANTS Act

of 2020 (Section 607 of H.R. 8406), would not be

included in gross income for tax purposes.

For more on the Payment

Protection Program, see



CRS Report R46284, COVID19 Relief Assistance to Small

Businesses: Issues and Policy

Options, by Robert Jay

Dilger, Bruce R. Lindsay, and

Sean Lowry.



CRS Report R46397, SBA

Paycheck Protection Program

(PPP) Loan Forgiveness: In

Brief, by Robert Jay Dilger

and Sean Lowry.

For more on the EIDL program,

see



Clarification of

Treatment of Expenses

Paid or Incurred with

Proceeds from Certain

Grants and Loans

This section clarifies that expenses paid out of

forgiven loans under the Payment Protection

Program or other related payments that are

excluded from income would be deductible. This

legislation reverses recent Internal Revenue

Service guidance (Notice 2020-32) that held

these expenses were not deductible. The section

also clarifies the language in the CARES Act

relating to exclusion of loan forgiveness from

income.

Congressional Research Service

CRS Insight IN11370, SBA

EIDL and Emergency EIDL

Grants for COVID-19, by

Bruce R. Lindsay.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11378, IRS

Guidance Says No Deduction

Is Allowed for Business

Expenses Paid with Forgiven

PPP Loans, by Sean Lowry

and Jane G. Gravelle.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Title III—Net Operating Losses

Limitation on Excess

Business Losses of

Noncorporate

Taxpayers Restored and

Made Permanent a

Would reinstitute the limits on noncorporate

business losses that existed prior to the CARES

Act and would make the limits permanent. The

changes would apply to taxable years beginning

on or after January 1, 2018.

For more, see



Prior to the CARES Act, under revisions made by

P.L. 115-97 (commonly referenced as the Tax

Cuts and Jobs Act [TCJA]), pass-through business

owners could use losses to offset other

nonbusiness income up to an annual limit:

$250,000 (single filers) or $500,000 (married

filers). Losses above these limits were considered

excess business losses and could be carried

forward indefinitely subject to the more general

rules for net operating losses (NOLs). These

limits on excess business losses are scheduled to

expire after 2025, at which time businesses will

not be limited in the amount of nonbusiness

income they may offset with business losses.

CRS Report R46377, The

Tax Treatment and Economics

of Net Operating Losses, by

Mark P. Keightley.



CRS Insight IN11240,

COVID-19: Potential Role of

Net Operating Loss (NOL)

Carrybacks in Addressing the

Economic Effects, by Mark P.

Keightley.



CRS Insight IN11296, Tax

Treatment of Net Operating

Losses (NOLs) in the

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security (CARES)

Act, by Jane G. Gravelle.

The CARES Act suspended the

$250,000/$500,000 limits on offsetting

nonbusiness income for 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Certain Taxpayers

Allowed Carryback of

Net Operating Losses

Arising in 2019 and

2020 a

This provision would limit the carryback of NOLs

to losses incurred in 2019 and 2020. Losses could

be carried back until 2018. Businesses with

excessive employee compensation under IRC

162(m), golden parachute payments under IRC

280G, or excessive dividend payment and stock

buybacks would be prohibited from carrying back

2019 and 2020 losses.

Under the temporary revisions enacted by the

CARES Act, businesses are currently allowed to

carry back losses generated in calendar years

2018, 2019, and 2020 to up to the five years

preceding the loss year. The CARES Act

suspended the limit to 80% of taxable income for

those years. After 2020, NOLs can only be

carried forward and are limited to 80% of taxable

income, under the rules adopted in the TCJA.

For more, see



CRS Report R46377, The

Tax Treatment and Economics

of Net Operating Losses, by

Mark P. Keightley.



CRS Insight IN11240,

COVID-19: Potential Role of

Net Operating Loss (NOL)

Carrybacks in Addressing the

Economic Effects, by Mark P.

Keightley.



CRS Insight IN11296, Tax

Treatment of Net Operating

Losses (NOLs) in the

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security (CARES)

Act, by Jane G. Gravelle.

Source: CRS analysis of The Heroes Act (H.R. 8406).

Notes:

This provision is the same as in H.R. 6800.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Table 2. The Heroes Act (H.R. 6800): Division B—Revenue Provisions

(COVID-19 Tax Relief Act of 2020; May 2020)

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Title I—Economic Stimulus

Subtitle A—2020 Recovery Rebates Improvement

Dependents Taken into

Account in Determining

Credits and Rebates

Individuals Providing

Taxpayer Identification

Numbers Taken into

Account in Determining

Credits and Rebates

2020 Recovery Rebates

not Subject to Reduction

or Offset with Respect

to Past-Due Support

Protection of 2020

Recovery Rebates

Would make all dependents—including

dependent children over 16 years old and adult

dependents—eligible for the $500 amount

included in the direct payments enacted under

the CARES Act. Under the CARES Act, only child

tax credit-eligible children—generally dependent

children 16 years old and younger—are eligible

for the $500 amount. This change would be

retroactive to enactment of the CARES Act.

For more, see

Would allow eligible taxpayers who provide a

taxpayer ID number—either a Social Security

number (SSN) or individual taxpayer

identification number (ITIN)—to receive the

direct payment enacted under the CARES Act.

Under the CARES Act, eligible taxpayers and

qualifying children generally have to have a workauthorized SSN in order to receive the payment.

This change would be retroactive to enactment

of the CARES Act.

For more, see

Would prohibit the CARES Act direct payments

from being offset by the Treasury for past-due

child support. Under the CARES Act, the direct

payments can generally not be reduced for debts

owed to or collected by governmental agencies,

but can be reduced for past-due child support.

For more, see

Would expand the provisions of the CARES Act

that currently protect 2020 recovery rebates

from reduction or offset for specified types of

governmental debts by exempting those rebates

from garnishment, levy, attachment, and other

similar debt collection actions by private or

governmental creditors.

Congressional Research Service



CRS Insight IN11398, How

Would the Heroes Act (H.R.

6800) Modify the Direct

Payments Enacted in the

CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)?, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick



CRS Insight IN11358, Older

Children, Adult Dependents,

and Eligibility for the 2020

Recovery Rebates, by Margot

L. Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Insight IN11398, How

Would the Heroes Act (H.R.

6800) Modify the Direct

Payments Enacted in the

CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)?, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick



CRS Insight IN11376,

Noncitizens and Eligibility for

the 2020 Recovery Rebates,

by Margot L. CrandallHollick and Abigail F.

Kolker.



CRS Insight IN11398, How

Would the Heroes Act (H.R.

6800) Modify the Direct

Payments Enacted in the

CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)?, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick



CRS Insight IN11322, The

Child Support Federal Tax

Offset of CARES Act Economic

Impact Payments, by Jessica

Tollestrup.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11398, How

Would the Heroes Act (H.R.

6800) Modify the Direct

Payments Enacted in the

CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)?, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Payments to

Representative Payees

and Fiduciaries

Would clarify that if a direct payment for a

specified Social Security, Supplemental Security

Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement, or Veterans

beneficiary was deposited into the account of a

representative payee (“payee”) or fiduciary, it

shall be provided to the entitled beneficiary or

used only for the benefit of the entitled

beneficiary. The payee and fiduciary enforcement

provisions would apply as under current law.

Under the CARES Act, the treatment of

payments deposited in the accounts of payees

and fiduciaries is not specified. This change would

be retroactive to enactment of the CARES Act.

For more, see

Application to Taxpayers

with Respect to Whom

Advance Payment has

Already Been Made

Would instruct Treasury to issue additional

payments in 2020 to individuals whose 2020

direct payments under the CARES Act would

have been larger as a result of the previous

changes (i.e., eligible for an additional $500 for an

adult dependent). The additional amount would

be equal to their new rebate amount less the

payment they already received in 2020.

For more, see

Congressional Research Service



CRS Insight IN11398, How

Would the Heroes Act (H.R.

6800) Modify the Direct

Payments Enacted in the

CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)?, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.

CRS Insight IN11398, How

Would the Heroes Act (H.R.

6800) Modify the Direct

Payments Enacted in the

CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)?, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Subtitle B—Additional Recovery Rebates to Individuals

Additional Recovery

Rebates to Individuals

Would enact additional direct payments for

individuals. These payments would be structured

as refundable tax credits against 2020 income

taxes, but would be advanced (and hence

received) in 2020, as opposed to 2021 (when

2020 income tax returns will be filed). Amount

and eligibility for the advanced credit would

generally be based on information from 2019

income tax returns (or 2018 returns, if 2019 had

not been filed).

Payments would equal $1,200 per eligible

individual ($2,400 for married joint filers), and

$1,200 for each eligible dependent (up to three

dependents, as defined in Subtitle A).

The payment would phase out at a rate of $5 per

$100 of income above $75,000 ($112,500 for

head of household filers, $150,000 for married

joint filers).

Eligible individuals would need to provide a

taxpayer ID—either an SSN or ITIN—to receive

the payment (as defined in subtitle A).

For background, see



CRS Insight IN11397,

COVID-19: Summary of the

Direct Payments Proposed in

the Heroes Act (H.R. 6800),

by Margot L. CrandallHollick.



CRS Insight IN11513,

COVID-19 and Direct

Payments to Individuals:

Comparison of Recent

Proposals for a Second Round

of Payments, by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Report R46415, CARES

Act (P.L. 116-136) Direct

Payments: Resources and

Experts, coordinated by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Insight IN11282, COVID19 and Direct Payments to

Individuals: Summary of the

2020 Recovery

Rebates/Economic Impact

Payments in the CARES Act

(P.L. 116-136), by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick.



CRS Insight IN11234, Tax

Cuts as Fiscal Stimulus:

Comparing a Payroll Tax Cut to

a One-Time Tax Rebate, by

Molly F. Sherlock and

Donald J. Marples.



CRS Report RS21126, Tax

Cuts and Economic Stimulus:

How Effective Are the

Alternatives?, by Jane G.

Gravelle.

These payments would generally be exempt from

reduction for debts owed to or collected by

governmental agencies (including past-due child

support) and private/commercial debts (as

defined in Subtitle A).

For eligible individuals who did not file a 2019 or

2018 income tax return and who were recipients

of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income

(SSI), or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

benefits, Treasury would be directed to issue

payments based on information provided to the

Social Security Administration (SSA) or VA. (The

treatment of the payments regarding

representative payees would be the same as

described in Subtitle A.) Treasury would be

directed to conduct outreach to other eligible

nonfilers.

Any checks could not include the name,

signature, image, or likeness of any elected

official, including the President or Vice President

of the United States.

Treasury would be required to provide weekly

updates to Congress on the number and amount

of payments made.

If a taxpayer received a larger advanced credit in

2020 than they were eligible for on their 2020

income tax return, they generally would not be

required to pay it back. If an individual received

an advanced payment less than what they were

eligible for on their 2020 income tax return, they

could claim the difference on that return (filed in

2021).

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Subtitle C—Earned Income Tax Credit

Strengthening the

Earned Income Tax

Credit for Individuals

with No Qualifying

Children

Would temporarily for 2020 expand both

eligibility for and the amount of the EITC for

taxpayers without qualifying children by modifying

the eligibility age and credit formula.

Taxpayers Eligible for

Childless Earned Income

Credit in Case of

Qualifying Children who

Fail to Meet Certain

Identification

Requirements

Would permanently allow taxpayers who

currently cannot claim the childless EITC because

all of their qualifying children do not have SSNs

to be eligible to claim the childless EITC.

Credit Allowed in Case

of Certain Separated

Spouses

Would permanently allow married taxpayers

who file their tax returns as married filing

separately to claim the EITC if they live with a

child for whom they can claim the EITC for more

than half the year and either (1) do not have the

same principal place of abode as their spouse for

the last six months of the year, or (2) have a

decree, instrument, or agreement (i.e., other

than a divorce decree) and do not live with their

spouse at the end of the year.

Elimination of

Disqualified Investment

Income Test

Would permanently eliminate the disqualified

investment income test. Under current law,

taxpayers with investment income over a certain

threshold—$3,650 in 2020—are ineligible for

claiming the EITC. Disqualified investment

income is defined as interest income (including

tax-exempt interest), dividends, net rent, net

capital gains, and net passive income. It also

includes royalties from sources other than the

filer’s ordinary business activities.

Regarding eligibility age, would expand eligibility

for the earned income tax credit (EITC) for

individuals with no qualifying children—

sometimes referred to as the “childless EITC”—

by increasing the maximum eligibility age from 64

to 65, and by allowing eligible taxpayers ages 19

to 24 to claim the childless EITC so long as they

are not students. Qualified foster youth and

homeless youth aged 18-24 would be allowed to

claim the credit even if they are students.a

Regarding the credit amount, would temporarily

increase the childless EITC by increasing the

earned income amount and phaseout threshold

amounts to $9,720 and $11,590, respectively,

while also doubling the phase-in and phaseout

rates from 7.65% to 15.3%. The maximum EITC

would increase from $538 to $1,487 in 2020.

Congressional Research Service

For background, see



CRS Report R43805, The

Earned Income Tax Credit

(EITC): How It Works and

Who Receives It, by Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick and Gene

Falk.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

Application of Earned

Income Tax Credit in

Possessions of the

United States

Would permanently provide authority to make

payments to Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and

mirror-code territories for amounts they pay out

in the EITC. For Puerto Rico and American

Samoa, such payments would be contingent upon

increasing the amount of their EITC or enacting

an EITC, respectively.

Temporary Special Rule

for Determining Earned

Income for Purposes of

Earned Income Tax

Credit

For the purposes of calculating their EITC on

their 2020 income tax return, would allow

taxpayers to substitute their 2019 earned income

for their 2020 earned income if their earned

income at the end of 2020 was less than their

prior-year earned income.

CRS Resources

For background, see



CRS Report R44651, Tax

Policy and U.S. Territories:

Overview and Issues for

Congress, by Sean Lowry.

Subtitle D—Child Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit

Improvements for 2020

Would eliminate the phase-in of the refundable

portion of the child credit (often referred to as

the “additional child credit” or ACTC) and

eliminate the maximum amount of the ACTC

($1,400), making the credit “fully refundable” for

that year. As a result, families with little or no

income would be able to receive the maximum

amount of the child tax credit as a refund. (For

these families, the entire amount of their child

tax credit would be received as the ACTC.)

For background, see



CRS Report R41873, The

Child Tax Credit: Current Law,

by Margot L. CrandallHollick.

Would increase the eligibility age for a qualifying

child to include 17-year-olds.

Would increase the per-child credit amount to

$3,000 for each of a taxpayer’s qualifying children

ages 6 to 17 years, and $3,600 for each of a

taxpayer’s qualifying children aged 0-5.

Would direct the IRS to establish a program to

advance the expanded credit to taxpayers on a

monthly basis (or as frequently as deemed

feasible by the Treasury Secretary). If the

advanced amounts were greater than the allowed

amount, the excess would be paid back by the

taxpayer.

All changes would be temporary for 2020.

Application of Child Tax

Credit in Possessions

Would effectively expand child credit eligibility to

residents of Puerto Rico and mirror-code

territories by providing payments to Puerto Rico

and the territories for amounts they pay out in

the child credit. This change would be

permanent. Authorizes payments to American

Samoa in the amount that would have been paid

to residents of American Samoa if the credit

would have been provided to such residents.

Congressional Research Service

For background, see



CRS Report R44651, Tax

Policy and U.S. Territories:

Overview and Issues for

Congress, by Sean Lowry.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Subtitle E—Dependent Care Assistance

Refundability and

Enhancement of Child

and Dependent Care

Tax Credit

Would create a more generous formula for the

child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC)

and make the credit refundable for 2020. The

expanded formula would allow eligible taxpayers

to claim up to 50% of employment-related child

care expenses for the credit (up from 35%) and

increase to $120,000 the income level at which

that percentage begins to phase out (up from

$15,000). Hence, the credit rate would phase

down to 20% when the taxpayer’s income was

greater than $180,000 (versus $43,000 under

current law). Would also double the maximum

amount of qualified expenses to $6,000 for

taxpayers with one qualifying dependent and

$12,000 for taxpayers with two or more

qualifying dependents (up from $3,000 and

$6,000, respectively). In addition, would

temporarily make the CDCTC refundable.

Increase in Exclusion for

Employer-Provided

Dependent Care

Assistance

Would increase the amount of qualifying child

care expenses that eligible taxpayers could

exclude from their income from $5,000 to

$10,500 for 2020.

For background, see



CRS Report R44993, Child

and Dependent Care Tax

Benefits: How They Work and

Who Receives Them, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.

Subtitle F—Flexibility for Certain Employee Benefits

Increase in Carryover

for Health Flexible

Spending Arrangements

Would permit employers to allow participants in

health flexible savings accounts to carry over

unspent amounts up to $2,750 (the maximum

amount for 2020) in the plan year ending in 2020

to the plan year ending in 2021. IRS regulations

allow either a carryover of $550 or a grace

period of 2.5 months. IRS regulations released on

May 12, 2020 (Notice 2020-29 and Notice 202033), allow full carryover through calendar year

2020 and increase on a permanent basis the $500

carryover amount to 20% of the maximum

amount.

For background, see

Carryover for

Dependent Care Flexible

Spending Arrangements

Would permit employers to allow participants in

dependent care flexible savings accounts to carry

over all unspent amounts (the maximum is

$5,000) in plan year ending in 2020 to the plan

year ending in 2021. Currently, unused benefits

are forfeited. IRS regulations released on May 12,

2020 (Notice 2020-29), allow full carryover

through calendar year 2020.

For background, see

Congressional Research Service



CRS Committee Print

CP10003, Tax Expenditures:

Compendium of Background

Material on Individual

Provisions—A Committee Print

Prepared for the Senate

Committee on the Budget,

2018, by Jane G. Gravelle et

al. (“Exclusion of Benefits

Provided Under Cafeteria

Plans,” pp. 751-757).

CRS Report R44993, Child

and Dependent Care Tax

Benefits: How They Work and

Who Receives Them, by

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Carryover of Paid Time

Off

Would permit employers to allow participants in

cafeteria benefit plans (which allow participants

to choose from certain pretax benefits) to carry

over all unused paid time off for plans ending in

2020 to plans ending in 2021. Currently, unused

benefits are forfeited.

For background, see

Change in Election

Amount

Would permit employers to allow participants to

make changes to 2020 health flexible savings

accounts without regard to changes in status or

to paid time off during 2020. Currently such

elections must be made prior to the plan year

and can only be changed with certain changes in

status. IRS regulations released on May 12, 2020

(Notice 2020-29), allow elections for changes in

health and dependent care coverage during

calendar year 2020.

For background, see

Extension of Grace

Periods, Etc.

Would allow a benefits plan to retain its status as

a cafeteria plan, health flexible savings account, or

dependent care account if the grace period for a

2020 plan is extended to 12 months after the end

of the 2020 plan year. Would also permit

employers to allow employees who cease

participation (for example, because of

termination) to receive unused benefits for the

rest of the plan year including the grace period.

For background, see

Plan Amendments

Would allow employers to make retroactive

amendments to cafeteria plans, health flexible

spending arrangements, and dependent care

arrangements to permit the changes made in

these provisions.

For background, see

Congressional Research Service



CRS Committee Print

CP10003, Tax Expenditures:

Compendium of Background

Material on Individual

Provisions—A Committee Print

Prepared for the Senate

Committee on the Budget,

2018, by Jane G. Gravelle et

al. (“Exclusion of Benefits

Provided Under Cafeteria

Plans,” pp. 751-757).

CRS Committee Print

CP10003, Tax Expenditures:

Compendium of Background

Material on Individual

Provisions—A Committee Print

Prepared for the Senate

Committee on the Budget,

2018, by Jane G. Gravelle et

al. (“Exclusion of Benefits

Provided Under Cafeteria

Plans,” pp. 751-757).

CRS Committee Print

CP10003, Tax Expenditures:

Compendium of Background

Material on Individual

Provisions—A Committee Print

Prepared for the Senate

Committee on the Budget,

2018, by Jane G. Gravelle et

al. (“Exclusion of Benefits

Provided Under Cafeteria

Plans,” pp. 751-757).

CRS Committee Print

CP10003, Tax Expenditures:

Compendium of Background

Material on Individual

Provisions—A Committee Print

Prepared for the Senate

Committee on the Budget,

2018, by Jane G. Gravelle et

al. (“Exclusion of Benefits

Provided Under Cafeteria

Plans,” pp. 751-757).

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Subtitle G—Deduction of State and Local Taxes

Elimination for 2020 and

2021 of Limitation on

Deduction of State and

Local Taxes

Taxpayers that itemize their deductions may

claim a deduction for certain state and local taxes

paid (the SALT deduction). The 2017 tax revision

(P.L. 115-97) limited SALT deduction claims for

tax years 2018 through 2025, set to $10,000 for

single taxpayers and married couples filing jointly

and $5,000 for married taxpayers filing

separately. That law also excluded foreign real

property taxes paid from SALT deduction claims

over the same time frame.

Would repeal the SALT deduction limit for tax

years 2020 and 2021; would not modify the

foreign real property tax exclusion.

For more, see



CRS Report R46246, The

SALT Cap: Overview and

Analysis, by Grant A.

Driessen and Joseph S.

Hughes.



CRS Report RL32781,

Federal Deductibility of State

and Local Taxes, by Grant A.

Driessen and Steven

Maguire.

Title II—Additional Relief for Workers

Subtitle A—Additional Relief

Increase in Above-theLine Deduction for

Certain Expenses of

Elementary and

Secondary School

Teachers

Teachers are currently allowed an above-the-line

deduction of up to $250 for unreimbursed outof-pocket supply costs, including books,

computer equipment, software, and other

supplemental classroom materials. This provision

would permanently increase the deduction

amount to $500 starting in 2020, with the $500

amount adjusted for inflation over time.

Above-the-Line

Deduction Allowed for

Certain Expenses of

First Responders

Would provide first responders a permanent

above-the-line deduction allowing them to deduct

up to $500 for unreimbursed uniform expenses

or tuition and fees associated with professional

development courses related to service as a first

responder. First responders are defined as

employees who provide at least 1,000 hours of

service during the year as a law enforcement

officer, firefighter, paramedic, or emergency

technician. The deduction would be available

starting in 2020, with the $500 amount adjusted

for inflation over time.

Temporary Above-theLine Deduction for

Supplies and Equipment

of First Responders and

COVID-19 Front Line

Employees

Would allow an above-the-line deduction in 2020

for unreimbursed uniform, supply, and equipment

expenses of COVID-19 front line employees.

COVID-19 front line employees are defined as

individuals performing at least 1,000 hours of

essential work in 2020. Essential work covers a

broad range of workers, defined in Division Q of

the Heroes Act, who generally have physical

interactions with persons or handle objects

handled by other persons or are employed in

essential industries (e.g., health care, first

responders, grocery stores, transportation).

Congressional Research Service

For background, see



CRS Insight IN10021, The

Deduction for Out-of-Pocket

Teacher Expenses, by Molly F.

Sherlock and Margot L.

Crandall-Hollick.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Payroll Credit for

Certain PandemicRelated Employee

Benefit Expenses Paid by

Employers

Description

CRS Resources

Would provide a refundable payroll tax credit for

pandemic-related employee benefit expenses. For

each employee, up to $5,000 in pandemic-related

employee benefit expenses may be tax credit

eligible per quarter. For pandemic-related

essential employees, the tax credit amount is 50%

of benefit expenses paid (e.g., a tax credit of up

to $2,500 per quarter). The tax credit amount is

30% for other employees. The credit would be

available for pandemic-related employee benefit

expenses paid after March 12, 2020, and before

January 1, 2021.

A general fund transfer of revenue to the OldAge and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, Federal

Disability Insurance Trust Fund, and Railroad

Retirement Trust Fund would be made to

maintain trust fund balances.

Subtitle B—Tax Credits to Prevent Business Interruption

Improvements to

Employee Retention

Credit

Would modify the employee retention tax credit

to (1) increase the credit rate from 50% to 80%;

(2) increase the amount of wages that can qualify

for the credit from $10,000 annually to $15,000

per quarter (limited to $45,000 for the year); (3)

modify credit limitations for large employers,

defining large employers as those with more than

1,500 full-time employees in 2019 and gross

receipts of more than $41.5 million in 2019

(rather than an employer with more than 100

employees); (4) allow a partial credit for

businesses with a 10% to 50% decline in gross

receipts; and (5) allow state and local

governments, and some federal instrumentalities,

to claim the credit.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11299,

COVID-19: The Employee

Retention Tax Credit, by Molly

F. Sherlock.

Would apply retroactively to the effective date

provided in the CARES Act.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Payroll Credit for

Certain Fixed Expenses

of Employers Subject to

Closure by Reason of

COVID-19

Description

CRS Resources

Would provide a refundable payroll tax credit for

employers’ fixed costs, including rent or

mortgage obligations and utility payments. A tax

credit of 50% could be claimed on qualifying fixed

expenses. Qualifying expenses limited to the

lesser of qualified fixed expenses paid in the same

calendar quarter in 2019; $50,000; or the greater

of 25% of wages paid or 6.25% of gross receipts

during the same calendar quarter in 2019.

Eligible employers would be those with no more

than 1,500 full-time employees in 2019 and gross

receipts of no more than $41.5 million in 2019

who had operations fully or partially suspended

due to COVID-19 or who had a significant

decline in gross receipts (gross receipts were less

than 90% of gross receipts for the same calendar

quarter in 2019). Credit is available at a reduced

rate (or phases in) for employers with a decline

in gross receipts between 10% and 50%. Credit

could be claimed for fixed expenses paid or

accrued after March 12, 2020, and before January

1, 2021.

A general fund transfer of revenue to the OldAge and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, Federal

Disability Insurance Trust Fund, and the Railroad

Retirement Trust Fund would be made to

maintain trust fund balances.

Business Interruption

Credit for Certain SelfEmployed Individuals

Eligible self-employed individuals who have

experienced a significant loss in income would be

allowed a refundable income tax credit. The

credit rate is 90%. The base of the credit is the

loss in self-employment income that exceeds a

10% reduction from 2019 to 2020, scaled using

the ratio of net self-employment earnings to selfemployment gross income in 2019. The

maximum amount of self-employment income

that can be taken into account in computing the

credit is the lesser of $45,000 or the reduction in

adjusted gross income (AGI) from 2019 to 2020.

The credit phases out at a rate of $50 for every

$100 of income once modified AGI exceeds

$60,000 ($120,000 for joint filers).

Subtitle C—Credits for Paid Sick and Family Leave

Extension of Credits

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act

(FFCRA; P.L. 116-127) includes refundable payroll

tax credits for certain required paid sick and

family leave for 2020. This provision would

extend the tax credits through 2021.

Congressional Research Service

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

CRS Resources

Repeal of Reduced Rate

of Credit for Certain

Leave

The payroll tax credit for paid sick leave wages in

FFCRA is limited to $200 per day for certain

qualified leave taking, generally caring for an

individual affected by COVID-19 or caring for

their child whose school or place of care is

unavailable due to COVID-19. The credit is

limited to $511 per day if employees are taking

other forms of qualified sick leave, generally for

their own COVID-19 related purposes. This

provision would increase the maximum tax credit

to $511 for all sick leave purposes in FFCRA.

For more, see

Increase in Limitations

on Credits for Paid

Family Leave

The tax credit for family leave wages is limited to

$200 per day, and $10,000 total per employee.

For self-employed individuals, the family leave

credit is limited to 50 days. This provision would

increase the total credit amount to $12,000 per

employee, and allow self-employed individuals to

claim the credit for up to 60 days. This provision

is effective as if included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Election to Use PriorYear Net Earnings from

Self-Employment in

Determining Average

Daily Self-Employment

Income

Average daily self-employment income is an

amount equal to the net earnings from selfemployment for the taxable year divided by 260.

This provision would allow individuals to elect to

use average daily self-employment income from

2019, instead of 2020, to compute the credit.

This provision is effective as if included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Federal, State, and Local

Governments Allowed

Tax Credits for Paid Sick

and Paid Family and

Medical Leave

The payroll tax credits for paid sick and family

leave in FFCRA do not apply to federal, state, or

local government employers, or any agency or

instrumentality of such governments.

Government employers are subject to new sick

and family leave requirements in FFCRA. This

provision would allow government employers to

claim payroll tax credits for required sick and

family leave. This provision is effective as if

included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Certain Technical

Improvements

Technical changes would coordinate the

definitions of qualified wages for paid sick leave,

paid family and medical leave, and the exclusion

of such leave from employer Old-Age, Survivors,

and Disability Insurance (OASDI) tax. This

provision is effective as if included in FFCRA.

For more, see

Credit Not Allowed to

Certain Large Employers

This provision would provide that private-sector

employers with 500 or more employees are not

eligible for tax credits for paid sick or family

leave. This restriction would not apply to federal,

state, or local government employers. The

provision would apply to wages paid after the

date of enactment.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

CRS Insight IN11243, Tax

Credit for Paid Sick and Family

Leave in the Families First

Coronavirus Response Act

(H.R. 6201) (Updated), by

Molly F. Sherlock.

Subtitle D—Other Relief

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Payroll Tax Deferral

Allowed For Recipients

of Certain Loan

Forgiveness

Description

Would allow businesses receiving Paycheck

Protection Program loan forgiveness to defer

payment of payroll taxes under Section 2302 of

the CARES Act.

CRS Resources

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11260,

COVID-19 Economic Stimulus:

Business Payroll Tax Cuts, by

Molly F. Sherlock and

Donald J. Marples.

For general information on the

Paycheck Protection Program,

see



Emergency Financial Aid

Grants

Certain Loan

Forgiveness and Other

Business Financial

Assistance under CARES

Act Not Includable in

Gross Business Income

CRS Report R46284, COVID19 Relief Assistance to Small

Businesses: Issues and Policy

Options, by Robert Jay

Dilger, Bruce R. Lindsay, and

Sean Lowry.

Would exclude postsecondary emergency

financial aid grants awarded in response to the

coronavirus emergency from gross income. Thus,

these grants would not be taxable. Excluded

emergency financial aid would not reduce

qualified expenses for the purposes of calculating

the American Opportunity Tax Credit, Lifetime

Learning Credit, or Tuition and Fees Deduction.

Generally, education expenses used to calculate

these three tax benefits must be reduced by any

tax-free financial aid (i.e., excluded from gross

income), which may reduce the value of these tax

benefits.b

For more information on CARES

Act Higher Education Provisions,

see

Loan forgiveness for additional lenders to

participate in the Payment Protection Program,

advance payments for Emergency Injury Disaster

Loan (EIDL) grants, and payments of principle,

interest, and fees on behalf of borrowers under

covered loans, all authorized in the CARES Act,

would not be included in gross income for tax

purposes.

For more on the Payment

Protection Program, see



CRS In Focus IF11497,

CARES Act Higher Education

Provisions, coordinated by

Cassandria Dortch.

CRS Report R46284, COVID19 Relief Assistance to Small

Businesses: Issues and Policy

Options, by Robert Jay

Dilger, Bruce R. Lindsay, and

Sean Lowry.

For more on the EIDL program,

see



Authority to Waive

Certain Information

Reporting Requirements

Would provide the Secretary of the Treasury

with the authority to waive information reporting

requirements with respect to income that is

exempt from tax as excludible loan forgiveness

under the Paycheck Protection Program or under

the exclusions for emergency financial grants for

students, or the loans for additional lenders,

EIDL, and payments of principle, interest and fees

for covered loans.

Congressional Research Service

CRS Insight IN11370, SBA

EIDL and Emergency EIDL

Grants for COVID-19, by

Bruce R. Lindsay.

For more on the Payment

Protection Program, see



CRS Report R46284, COVID19 Relief Assistance to Small

Businesses: Issues and Policy

Options, by Robert Jay

Dilger, Bruce R. Lindsay, and

Sean Lowry.

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Description

Clarification of

Treatment of Expenses

Paid or Incurred with

Proceeds from Certain

Grants and Loans

This section clarifies that expenses paid out of

forgiven loans under the Payment Protection

Program or other related payments that are

excluded from income would be deductible. This

legislation reverses recent Internal Revenue

Service guidance (Notice 2020-32) that held

these expenses were not deductible.

Reinstatement of

Certain Protections for

Taxpayer Return

Information

Would repeal certain provisions of the CARES

Act that amended the Fostering Undergraduate

Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education

(FUTURE) Act (P.L. 116-91).

CRS Resources

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11378, IRS

Guidance Says No Deduction

Is Allowed for Business

Expenses Paid with Forgiven

PPP Loans, by Sean Lowry

and Jane G. Gravelle.

These specific CARES Act provisions:

(i) allow for Department of Education and its

contractors to re-disclose specified IRS returns

and return information to designated persons,

who are not subject to certain taxpayer return

protection obligations, solely for the use in

financial aid programs; and

(ii) eliminate the requirement that the IRS

maintain a permanent system of standardized

records or accountings of all disclosures and rediscloses made to carry out the Higher Education

Act of 1965.

Title III—Net Operating Losses

Limitation on Excess

Business Losses of

Noncorporate

Taxpayers Restored and

Made Permanent

Would reinstitute the limits on noncorporate

business losses that existed prior to the CARES

Act and would make the limits permanent. The

changes would apply to taxable years beginning

on or after January 1, 2018.

Prior to the CARES Act, under revisions made by

P.L. 115-97 (commonly referenced as the Tax

Cuts and Jobs Act [TCJA]), pass-through business

owners could use losses to offset other

nonbusiness income up to an annual limit:

$250,000 (single filers) or $500,000 (married

filers). Losses above these limits were considered

excess business losses and could be carried

forward indefinitely subject to the more general

rules for net operating losses (NOLs). These

limits on excess business losses are scheduled to

expire after 2025, at which time businesses will

not be limited in the amount of nonbusiness

income they may offset with business losses.

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11240,

COVID-19: Potential Role of

Net Operating Loss (NOL)

Carrybacks in Addressing the

Economic Effects, by Mark P.

Keightley.



CRS Insight IN11296, Tax

Treatment of Net Operating

Losses (NOLs) in the

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security (CARES)

Act, by Jane G. Gravelle.

The CARES Act suspended the

$250,000/$500,000 limits on offsetting

nonbusiness income for 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Congressional Research Service

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Section Title

Certain Taxpayers

Allowed Carryback of

Net Operating Losses

Arising in 2019 and 2020

Description

This provision would limit the carryback of NOLs

to losses incurred in 2019 and 2020. Losses could

be carried back until 2018. Businesses with

excessive employee compensation under IRC

162(m), golden parachute payments under IRC

280G, or excessive dividend payment and stock

buybacks would be prohibited from carrying back

2019 and 2020 losses.

Under the temporary revisions enacted by the

CARES Act, businesses are currently allowed to

carry back losses generated in calendar years

2018, 2019, and 2020 to up to the five years

preceding the loss year. The CARES Act

suspended the limit to 80% of taxable income for

those years. After 2020, NOLs can only be

carried forward and are limited to 80% of taxable

income, under the rules adopted in the TCJA.

CRS Resources

For more, see



CRS Insight IN11240,

COVID-19: Potential Role of

Net Operating Loss (NOL)

Carrybacks in Addressing the

Economic Effects, by Mark P.

Keightley.



CRS Insight IN11296, Tax

Treatment of Net Operating

Losses (NOLs) in the

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security (CARES)

Act, by Jane G. Gravelle.

Source: CRS analysis of The Heroes Act (H.R. 6800).

Notes: Table 2 appears here as it appeared in the version of this report published on May 15, 2020. Generally,

CRS resources that were published after May 15, 2020, that are related to provisions in the Sept ember 28, 2020,

version of the Heroes Act, are noted in Table 1. Some additional resources for subtitle A and subtitle B of H.R.

6800 that do not appear in the September 28, 2020, version of the Heroes Act are included in this table.

The legislation includes as part of the definition of a student someone carrying half or more of the normal

full-time work load for their program of study, as defined under IRC §25A(b)(3).

On May 7, 2020, the IRS provided similar but less expansive guidance to the same effect. See IRS, “FAQs:

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and Emergency Financial Aid Grants under the CARES Act,” at

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-higher-education-emergency-relief-fund-and-emergency-financial-aidgrants-under-the-cares-act.

Congressional Research Service

Table 3. Revenue Losses of Division F of The Heroes Act (H.R. 8406), FY2021-FY2030

(in millions of dollars)

Section Title

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2021-2030

Title I—Economic Stimulus

Subtitle A—Additional Recovery Rebates to Individuals

306,911

Strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit for

Individuals with No Qualifying Children

9,603

Taxpayers Eligible for Childless Earned Income

Credit in Case of Qualifying Children who Fail to

Meet Certain Identification Requirements

Credit Allowed in Case of Certain Separated

Spouses

221

Elimination of Disqualified Investment Income

Test

395

360

368

394

391

399

393

396

405

3,502

Application of Earned Income Tax Credit in

Possessions of the United States

702

720

736

753

770

785

801

818

836

7,003

3,110

22,913

699

710

721

725

721

311

316

320

316

27,753

Refundability and Enhancement of Child and

Dependent Care Tax Credit

5,695

Increase in Exclusion for Employer-Provided

Dependent Care Assistance

Additional Recovery Rebates to Individuals

Subtitle B—Earned Income Tax Credit

Temporary Special Rule for Determining Earned

Income for Purposes of Earned Income Tax

Credit

Subtitle C—Child Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit Improvements for 2020

Subtitle D—Dependent Care Assistance

Subtitle E—Credits for Paid Sick and Family Leave

CRS-23

Section Title

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2021-2030

Credits for Paid Sick and Family Leave

11,387

Elimination for 2020 Limitation on Deduction of

State and Local Taxes

68,880

-3,335

65,545

Total of Economic Stimulus

428,583

-1,516

1,813

1,848

1,896

1,908

1,522

1,539

1,564

1,589

440,747

111,806

Subtitle F—Deduction of State and Local Taxes

Title II—Provisions to Prevent Business Interruption

Improvements to Employee Retention and

Rehiring Credit

111,806

Certain Loan Forgiveness and Other Business

Financial Assistance under CARES Act Not

Includable in Gross Income

No Revenue Effect

Clarification of Treatment of Expenses Paid or

Incurred with Proceeds from Certain Grants and

Loans

No Revenue Effect

Total of Provisions to Prevent Business Interruption

111,806

Limitation on Excess Business Losses of

Noncorporate Taxpayers Restored and Made

Permanent

-136,615

1,773

793

394

202

-8,913

-24,428

-25,517

-26,468

-27,461

-246,240

Certain Taxpayers Allowed Carryback of Net

Operating Losses Arising in 2019 and 2020

-55,910

2,830

4,457

6,969

8,965

8,979

6,024

4,104

2,678

3,018

-7,887

Total of Net Operating Losses

-192,525

4,603

5,250

7,363

9,167

-18,404

-21,413

-23,790

-24,443

-254,127

Total of Division F

347,864

3,087

7,063

9,211

11,063

1,974

-16,882

-19,874

-22,226

-22,854

298,426

Title III—Net Operating Losses

Source: Joint Committee on Taxation, JCX-21-20, Estimated Revenue Effects of the Revenue Provisions Contained in the Heroes Act, As Passed by the House of Representatives

on October 1, 2020 (Rules Committee Print 116-66), October 14, 2020.

Notes: A positive value indicates a reduction in federal revenue. A negative value indicates an increase in federal revenue.

CRS-24

Table 4. Revenue Losses of Division B of The Heroes Act (H.R. 6800), FY2020-FY2030

(in millions of dollars)

Section Title

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2020-2030

Title I—Economic Stimulus

Subtitle A—2020 Recovery Rebates

Improvement

20,410

2,268

22,678

Subtitle B—Additional Recovery Rebates to

Individuals

404,276

8,251

412,527

Strengthening the Earned Income Tax

Credit for Individuals with No Qualifying

Children

10,140

Taxpayers Eligible for Childless Earned

Income Credit in Case of Qualifying

Children who Fail to Meet Certain

Identification Requirements

Credit Allowed in Case of Certain

Separated Spouses

239

Elimination of Disqualified Investment

Income Test

391

372

396

406

425

447

445

452

3,779

Application of Earned Income Tax Credit

in Possessions of the United States

702

720

736

753

770

785

801

818

836

7,003

Temporary Special Rule for Determining

Earned Income for Purposes of Earned

Income Tax Credit

3,110

4,420

108,775

768

833

899

906

954

311

316

320

316

118,818

Subtitle C—Earned Income Tax Credit

Subtitle D—Child Tax Credit

Subtitle E—Dependent Care Assistance

CRS-25

Section Title

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2020-2030

Refundability and Enhancement of Child

and Dependent Care Tax Credit

112

5,577

5,689

Increase in Exclusion for EmployerProvided Dependent Care Assistance

141

176

Increase in Carryover for Health Flexible

Spending Arrangements

-15

-225

-94

-335

Carryover for Dependent Care Flexible

Spending Arrangements

-217

-54

-271

Subtitle F—Flexibility for Certain Employee

Benefits

Carryover of Paid Time Off

Estimate included in other provisions

Change in Election Amount

Estimate included in other provisions

Extension of Grace Periods, Etc.

Estimate included in other provisions

Plan Amendments

Estimate included in other provisions

Subtitle G—Deduction of State and Local

Taxes

Total of Economic Stimulus

1,623

94,360

44,993

-4,381

136,595

430,861

232,262

46,729

-2,432

2,056

2,092

2,177

1,573

1,593

1,615

1,637

720,161

162

138

144

172

173

181

214

241

211

213

1,848

Title II—Additional Relief for

Workers

Subtitle A—Additional Relief

Increase in Above-the-Line Deduction

for Certain Expenses of Elementary and

Secondary School Teachers

CRS-26

Section Title

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2020-2030

Above-the-Line Deduction Allowed for

Certain Expenses of First Responders

103

180

183

186

190

198

205

208

210

213

221

2,098

Temporary Above-the-Line Deduction

for Supplies and Equipment of First

Responders and COVID-19 Front Line

Employees

775

560

1,335

Payroll Credit for Certain PandemicRelated Employee Benefit Expenses Paid

by Employers

38,529

4,316

42,845

Improvements to Employee Retention

Credit

130,970

32,601

163,571

Payroll Credit for Certain Fixed

Expenses of Employers Subject to

Closure by Reason of COVID-19

24,441

6,110

30,552

Business Interruption Credit for Certain

Self-Employed Individuals

17,034

4,259

21,293

Subtitle C—Credits for Paid Sick and Family

Leave

8,588

20,134

3,286

32,008

9,498

8,091

-8,584

-8,478

528

269

337

Subtitle B—Tax Credits to Prevent Business

Interruption

Subtitle D—Other Relief

Payroll Tax Deferral Allowed For

Recipients of Certain Loan Forgiveness

Emergency Financial Aid Grants

Certain Loan Forgiveness and Other

Business Financial Assistance under

CARES Act Not Includable in Gross

Business Income

CRS-27

No Revenue Effect

Section Title

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2020-2030

Authority to Waive Certain Information

Reporting Requirements

No Revenue Effect

Clarification of Treatment of Expenses

Paid or Incurred with Proceeds from

Certain Grants and Loans

No Revenue Effect

Reinstatement of Certain Protections for

Taxpayer Return Information

Total of Additional Relief for Workers

Negligible Revenue Effect

229,938

76,682

-4,910

-8,148

362

371

386

422

451

424

434

296,415

Limitation on Excess Business Losses of

Noncorporate Taxpayers Restored and

Made Permanent

-64,160

-72,455

1,773

793

394

202

-8,913

-24,428

-25,517

-26,468

-27,461

-246,240

Certain Taxpayers Allowed Carryback of

Net Operating Losses Arising in 2019

and 2020

-54,181

-1,729

2,830

4,457

6,969

8,965

8,979

6,024

4,104

2,678

3,018

-7,887

Total of Net Operating Losses

-118,341

-74,184

4,603

5,250

7,363

9,167

-18,404

-21,413

-23,790

-24,443

-254,127

Total of Division B

542,458

234,760

46,422

-5,330

9,781

11,630

2,629

-16,409

-19,369

-21,751

-22,372

762,449

Title III—Net Operating Losses

Source: Joint Committee on Taxation, JCX-16-20, Estimated Revenue Effects of the Revenue Provisions Contained in H.R. 6800, The “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus

Emergency Solutions (‘HEROES’) Act,” As Passed By The House of Representatives on May 15, 2020, May 28, 2020.

Notes: A positive value indicates a reduction in federal revenue. A negative value indicates an increase in federal revenue.

CRS-28

Heroes Act: Revenue Provisions

Author Information

Molly F. Sherlock, Coordinator

Specialist in Public Finance

Jane G. Gravelle

Senior Specialist in Economic Policy

Margot L. Crandall-Hollick

Acting Section Research Manager

Mark P. Keightley

Specialist in Economics

Grant A. Driessen

Specialist in Public Finance

Donald J. Marples

Specialist in Public Finance

Acknowledgments

Joseph S. Hughes, Research Assistant in the Government & Finance Division, assisted with the update of

this report.

Disclaimer

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Congressional Research Service

R46358 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.