Bill Overview
Title: Protecting Adopting Families from Audits Act
Description: This bill requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to submit a written report to the congressional tax committees comparing the audit rate of individual taxpayers who claim the adoption tax credit to the audit rate of those taxpayers who do not claim such credit. The initial report must be submitted not later than the end of 2023 and then annually thereafter through 2036. The IRS must also submit a written report regarding its audit practices for individuals who claim refundable and nonrefundable tax credits.
Sponsors: Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1]
Target Audience
Population: People in adopting families
Estimated Size: 7000000
- The bill addresses the audit rate of taxpayers claiming the adoption tax credit.
- Individuals who have adopted or are planning to adopt may be more likely to claim the adoption tax credit.
- The bill requires the IRS to report on their audit practices, changing the landscape of accountability in how these audits are conducted over time.
- The bill indirectly affects those households considering adoption by potentially changing the perceived or actual likelihood of being audited.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily affects individuals or families that have adopted or are in the process of adopting, as they are more likely to claim the adoption tax credit.
- A significant impact of the policy would be on the reduction in perceived risk of audits, potentially leading to a slight increase in wellbeing for those in adopting families.
- Given the narrow focus of the policy, individuals not associated with adopting may experience no impact at all.
- The policy's budget limits suggest it can cover necessary reporting and auditing changes, but little beyond that.
- The impact of this policy is largely psychological and procedural, affecting feelings of financial security and perceptions of fairness in the tax system.
Simulated Interviews
Social Worker (San Diego, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel a bit nervous every tax season since I started claiming the adoption tax credit.
- It is good that the IRS is being asked to account for their audit practices regarding the credit.
- This might make others in my community more open to adoption if they feel less likely to be audited.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Austin, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems like a small step but a welcome one.
- Knowing audits won't be as frequent might ease some financial concerns we have for adoption.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy might help reduce stigma or fear of financial hurdles for single parents like me.
- Knowing there's a report can provide assurance.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Accountant (Chicago, IL)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could alleviate some of the stress around tax season for us.
- Though it's not a big change, it's reassuring that the IRS would need to report on these audits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Corporate Lawyer (New York, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy doesn't affect me directly.
- It's good for those who need the protection, but my life remains unchanged.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Retired (Rural Kentucky)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Feels like another layer of bureaucracy, but any effort to lessen the audit chances is welcome.
- We're on a tight budget, so every bit helps.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Marketing Manager (Seattle, WA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I haven't filed for the credit yet, but this makes it feel safer.
- The reports might give some transparency which can help me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Barista (Portland, OR)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's about time the IRS faced scrutiny for this particular audit focus.
- A lot of us get nervous even when doing everything right.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Construction Worker (Denver, CO)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy leads to less anxiety about adoption.
- Seems like a step in the right direction for supporting adoptive families.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Graphic Designer (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While it's a necessary policy improvement, it doesn't have any immediate effect on my wellbeing.
- Good for those it impacts directly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 2: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 3: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 5: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 10: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 100: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Key Considerations
- Increased IRS workload for generating and submitting reports.
- Potential positive public perception amongst adopting families due to transparency.
- Ongoing operational costs at IRS constrained within current budget parameters.