2006 Tax Reconciliation

A reported element of the 2006 tax reconciliation bill would allow taxpayers to roll over traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs in 2010 regardless of their incomes and pay the tax in two installments in 2011 and 2012. Under current law, taxpayers can only elect to convert their IRAs if their incomes are under $100,000, and there is no option to defer paying tax. Taxpayers benefit from rolling over and paying tax now because all future gains are completely exempt from tax. This table shows the distribution of lifetime tax benefits from the rollover option by income percentile at 2006 income levels.

The House and Senate are negotiating a tax cut package for 2006. This table shows the distribution of benefits by income percentile for the following reported components of the package: increasing the exemption levels for the Alternative Minimum Tax, extending the dividends and capital gains tax rate cuts to 2009 and 2010, and the elimination of income limits for access to Roth IRAs. The benefits are shown as the fully-phased in impact of the provisions at 2006 income levels.

A reported component of the tax reconciliation bill being negotiated between the House and Senate is the elimination of income limitations on Roth IRA contributions, effective January 1, 2006. Under current law, the income limits are $4,000 for an individual and $8,000 for a couple in 2006, and $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a couple in 2010. This table shows the distribution of benefits by income percentile for 2006.

The tax reconciliation bill being negotiated between the House and Senate is reported to include the elimination of income limitations on Roth IRA contributions and the elimination of income limitations on Roth IRA conversions. Under current law, the income limits to Roth IRA contributions are $4,000/$8,000 in 2006 and $5,000/$10,000 in 2010 for individuals and couples, respectively. The proposal would also allow taxpayers to roll over traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs in 2010 regardless of their incomes and pay the tax in two installments in 2011 and 2012. Under current law, taxpayers can only elect to convert their IRAs if their incomes are under $100,000, and there is no option to defer paying tax. Taxpayers benefit from rolling over and paying tax now because all future gains are completely exempt from tax. This table shows the distribution of benefits by income percentile for these provisions in 2006.

A likely element of the tax reconciliation bill being negotiated between the House and Senate is AMT relief. This table shows effects of increasing the AMT exemption to $62,550 for married couples filing a joint return, $42,500 for singles and heads of household, and $31,275 for married individuals filing a separate return, and allowing personal non-refundable credits against the regular tax and AMT, regardless of tentative AMT. The distribution of benefits by income percentile for 2006.

The House and Senate are negotiating a tax cut package for 2006. This table shows the distribution of benefits by income percentile for the following reported components of the package: increasing the exemption levels for the Alternative Minimum Tax, extending the dividends and capital gains tax rate cuts to 2009 and 2010, and the elimination of income limits for access to Roth IRAs. The benefits are shown as the fully-phased in impact of the provisions at 2006 income levels.

The tax reconciliation bill being voted on in the Senate includes the elimination of income limitations on Roth IRA contributions and the allowance of Roth IRA conversions. This revised table shows the annual revenue change resulting from the Roth conversion provision, for fiscal and calendar years 2007 to 2049.

The Conference Agreement on the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 includes the following components: increasing the exemption levels for the Alternative Minimum Tax, extending the dividends and capital gains tax rate cuts to 2009 and 2010, and the elimination of income limits for access to Roth IRAs. This tables shows the distribution of benefits under a lump-sum financing scenario.

The Conference Agreement on the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 includes the following components: increasing the exemption levels for the Alternative Minimum Tax, extending the dividends and capital gains tax rate cuts to 2009 and 2010, and the elimination of income limits for access to Roth IRAs. This tables shows the distribution of benefits under a scenario with financing proportional to income.