[20061228]RS22100_个人最低替代税：第109届国会的立法举措.pdf

1 There is also a corporate minimum tax, but it is not addressed in this report.Order Code RS22100Updated December 28, 2006The Alternative Minimum Tax for Individuals:Legislative Initiatives in the 109th CongressGregg A. EsenweinSpecialist in Public FinanceGovernment and Finance DivisionSummaryThe alternative minimum tax (AMT) for individuals was originally enacted toensure that all taxpayers, especially high-income taxpayers, paid at least a minimumamount of federal taxes. However, the AMT is not indexed for inflation, and this factor,combined with the recent reductions in the regular income tax, has greatly expanded thepotential impact of the AMT.Temporary provisions intended to mitigate the effects of the AMT will expire atthe end of 2006. As a result, the number of taxpayers subject to the AMT will increasefrom 3.6 million in 2005 to 23 million in 2007. The Congressional Budget Officeestimates that extending AMT tax relief would reduce federal revenue by $282 billionover the period FY2007 through FY2011. In May 2006, Congress passed the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Actof 2005 (TIPRA). This act increased the basic AMT exemption to $62,550 for jointreturns and $42,5