Library / Laws / 113th / hr / H.R. 1554 / Introduced in House
I
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1554
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 15, 2013
Mr. Doggett (for
himself, Ms. Bass,
Mr. Becerra,
Mr. Blumenauer,
Mr. Capuano,
Ms. Chu, Mr. Cicilline, Mr.
Conyers, Mr. Cummings,
Mr. DeFazio,
Ms. DeGette,
Ms. DeLauro,
Mr. Deutch,
Mr. Dingell,
Ms. Edwards,
Mr. Ellison,
Mr. Farr, Mr. Gene Green of Texas,
Mr. Grijalva,
Mr. Higgins,
Mr. Huffman,
Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas,
Mr. Johnson of Georgia,
Mr. Larson of Connecticut,
Ms. Lee of California,
Mr. Loebsack,
Mr. Lynch,
Mr. Markey,
Ms. McCollum,
Mr. McDermott,
Mr. McGovern,
Mr. George Miller of California,
Ms. Moore,
Mr. Moran,
Mr. Pascrell,
Mr. Peters of Michigan,
Mr. Rush, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr.
Sherman, Ms. Slaughter,
Mr. Tierney,
Mr. Tonko,
Ms. Tsongas,
Mr. Van Hollen,
Mr. Welch,
Mr. Yarmuth,
Mr. Langevin,
Mr. Holt, Mr. Lipinski, Mr.
Gutierrez, Mr. Lewis,
Mr. Garamendi,
Mr. Payne, and
Mr. Cohen) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on
Financial Services, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
A BILL
To restrict the use of offshore tax havens and abusive
tax shelters to inappropriately avoid Federal taxation, and for other
purposes.
1.
Short title; etc
(a)
Short
title
This Act may be cited
as the Stop Tax Haven Abuse
Act.
(b)
Amendment of
1986 code
Except as otherwise
expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in
terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the
reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(c)
Table of
contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; etc.
Title I—Deterring the use of tax havens for tax
evasion
Sec. 101. Authorizing special measures against foreign
jurisdictions, financial institutions, and others that significantly impede
United States tax enforcement.
Sec. 102. Strengthening the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
(FATCA).
Sec. 103. Treatment of foreign corporations managed and
controlled in the United States as domestic corporations.
Sec. 104. Reporting United States beneficial owners of foreign
owned financial accounts.
Sec. 105. Swap payments made from the United States to persons
offshore.
Title II—Other measures to combat tax haven and tax shelter
abuses
Sec. 201. Country-by-country reporting.
Sec. 202. Penalty for failing to disclose offshore
holdings.
Sec. 203. Deadline for anti-money laundering rule for
investment advisers.
Sec. 204. Anti-money laundering requirements for formation
agents.
Sec. 205. Strengthening John Doe summons
proceedings.
Sec. 206. Improving enforcement of foreign financial account
reporting.
Title III—Combating tax shelter promoters
Sec. 301. Penalty for promoting abusive tax
shelters.
Sec. 302. Penalty for aiding and abetting the understatement of
tax liability.
Sec. 303. Prohibited fee arrangement.
Sec. 304. Preventing tax shelter activities by financial
institutions.
Sec. 305. Information sharing for enforcement
purposes.
Sec. 306. Disclosure of information to Congress.
Sec. 307. Tax opinion standards for tax
practitioners.
I
Deterring the use of tax havens for tax
evasion
101.
Authorizing
special measures against foreign jurisdictions, financial institutions, and
others that significantly impede United States tax enforcement
Section 5318A of title 31, United States
Code, is amended—
(1) by striking the
section heading and inserting the following:
5318A.
Special
measures for jurisdictions, financial institutions, or international
transactions that are of primary money laundering concern or significantly
impede United States tax
enforcement
;
(2) in subsection (a),
by striking the subsection heading and inserting the following:
(a)
Special measures
To counter money laundering and efforts to significantly impede United States
tax
enforcement
;
(3) in subsection
(c)—
(A) by striking the
subsection heading and inserting the following:
(c)
Consultations
and information To be considered in finding jurisdictions, institutions, types
of accounts, or transactions To be of primary money laundering concern or To be
significantly impeding United States tax
enforcement
;
and
(B) by inserting at
the end of paragraph (2) thereof the following new subparagraph:
(C)
Other
considerations
The fact that a jurisdiction or financial
institution is cooperating with the United States on implementing the
requirements specified in chapter 4 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may be
favorably considered in evaluating whether such jurisdiction or financial
institution is significantly impeding United States tax
enforcement.
;
(4) in subsection
(a)(1), by inserting or is significantly impeding United States tax
enforcement after primary money laundering
concern;
(5) in subsection
(a)(4)—
(A) in subparagraph
(A)—
(i) by
inserting in matters involving money laundering, before
shall consult; and
(ii) by
striking and at the end;
(B) by redesignating
subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(C) by inserting after
subparagraph (A) the following:
(B) in matters
involving United States tax enforcement, shall consult with the Commissioner of
the Internal Revenue, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General of the
United States, and in the sole discretion of the Secretary, such other agencies
and interested parties as the Secretary may find to be appropriate;
and
;
(6) in each of
paragraphs (1)(A), (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b), by inserting or
to be significantly impeding United States tax enforcement after
primary money laundering concern each place that term
appears;
(7) in subsection (b),
by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
(5)
Prohibitions or
conditions on opening or maintaining certain correspondent or payable-through
accounts or authorizing certain payment cards
If the Secretary
finds a jurisdiction outside of the United States, 1 or more financial
institutions operating outside of the United States, or 1 or more classes of
transactions within or involving a jurisdiction outside of the United States to
be of primary money laundering concern or to be significantly impeding United
States tax enforcement, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
State, the Attorney General of the United States, and the Chairman of the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, may prohibit, or impose conditions
upon—
(A) the opening or
maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or payable-through
account; or
(B) the authorization,
approval, or use in the United States of a credit card, charge card, debit
card, or similar credit or debit financial instrument by any domestic financial
institution, financial agency, or credit card company or association, for or on
behalf of a foreign banking institution, if such correspondent account,
payable-through account, credit card, charge card, debit card, or similar
credit or debit financial instrument, involves any such jurisdiction or
institution, or if any such transaction may be conducted through such
correspondent account, payable-through account, credit card, charge card, debit
card, or similar credit or debit financial
instrument.
;
(8) in subsection
(c)(1), by inserting or is significantly impeding United States tax
enforcement after primary money laundering
concern;
(9) in subsection
(c)(2)(A)—
(A) in clause (ii), by
striking bank secrecy or special regulatory advantages and
inserting bank, tax, corporate, trust, or financial secrecy or
regulatory advantages;
(B) in clause (iii),
by striking supervisory and counter-money and inserting
supervisory, international tax enforcement, and
counter-money;
(C) in clause (v), by
striking banking or secrecy and inserting banking, tax,
or secrecy; and
(D) in clause (vi), by
inserting , tax treaty, or tax information exchange agreement
after treaty;
(10) in subsection
(c)(2)(B)—
(A) in clause (i), by
inserting or tax evasion after money laundering;
and
(B) in clause (iii),
by inserting , tax evasion, after money
laundering; and
(11) in subsection
(d), by inserting involving money laundering, and shall notify, in
writing, the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives of any such action involving United
States tax enforcement after such action.
102.
Strengthening
the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)
(a)
Reporting
activities with respect to passive foreign investment companies
Section 1298(f) is amended by inserting
, or who directly or indirectly forms, transfers assets to, is a
beneficiary of, has a beneficial interest in, or receives money or property or
the use thereof from, after shareholder of.
(b)
Withholdable
payments to foreign financial institutions
Section 1471(d) is amended—
(1) by inserting or transaction
after any depository in paragraph (2)(A), and
(2) by striking or any interest
and all that follows in paragraph (5)(C) and inserting derivatives, or
any interest (including a futures or forward contract, swap, or option) in such
securities, partnership interests, commodities, or derivatives..
(c)
Withholdable
payments to other foreign financial institutions
Section 1472 is amended—
(1) by inserting as a result of any
customer identification, anti-money laundering, anti-corruption, or similar
obligation to identify account holders, after reason to
know, in subsection (b)(2), and
(2) by inserting as posing a low risk of
tax evasion after this subsection in subsection
(c)(1)(G).
(d)
Definitions
Clauses (i) and (ii) of section 1473(2)(A)
are each amended by inserting or as a beneficial owner after
indirectly.
(e)
Special
rules
Section 1474(c) is
amended—
(1) by inserting , except that
information provided under sections 1471(c) or 1472(b) may be disclosed to any
Federal law enforcement agency, upon request or upon the initiation of the
Secretary, to investigate or address a possible violation of United States
law after shall apply in paragraph (1), and
(2) by inserting , or has had an
agreement terminated under such section, after section
1471(b) in paragraph (2).
(f)
Information with
respect to foreign financial assets
Section 6038D(a) is amended by inserting
ownership or beneficial ownership after holds
any.
(g)
Establishing
presumptions for entities and transactions involving non-FATCA
institutions
(1)
Presumptions for
tax purposes
(A)
In
general
Chapter 76 is amended by inserting after section 7491 the
following new subchapter:
F
Presumptions for
certain legal proceedings
Sec. 7492. Presumptions pertaining to entities and transactions
involving non-FATCA institutions.
7492.
Presumptions
pertaining to entities and transactions involving non-FATCA
institutions
(a)
Control
For
purposes of any United States civil judicial or administrative proceeding to
determine or collect tax, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a United
States person (other than an entity with shares regularly traded on an
established securities market) who, directly or indirectly, formed, transferred
assets to, was a beneficiary of, had a beneficial interest in, or received
money or property or the use thereof from an entity, including a trust,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or foundation (other than
an entity with shares regularly traded on an established securities market),
that holds an account, or in any other manner has assets, in a non-FATCA
institution, exercised control over such entity. The presumption of control
created by this subsection shall not be applied to prevent the Secretary from
determining or arguing the absence of control.
(b)
Transfers of
income
For purposes of any United States civil judicial or
administrative proceeding to determine or collect tax, there shall be a
rebuttable presumption that any amount or thing of value received by a United
States person (other than an entity with shares regularly traded on an
established securities market) directly or indirectly from an account or from
an entity (other than an entity with shares regularly traded on an established
securities market) that holds an account, or in any other manner has assets, in
a non-FATCA institution, constitutes income of such person taxable in the year
of receipt; and any amount or thing of value paid or transferred by or on
behalf of a United States person (other than an entity with shares regularly
traded on an established securities market) directly or indirectly to an
account, or entity (other than an entity with shares regularly traded on an
established securities market) that holds an account, or in any other manner
has assets, in a non-FATCA institution, represents previously unreported income
of such person taxable in the year of the transfer.
(c)
Rebutting the
presumptions
The presumptions established in this section may be
rebutted only by clear and convincing evidence, including detailed documentary,
testimonial, and transactional evidence, establishing that—
(1) in subsection (a),
such taxpayer exercised no control, directly or indirectly, over account or
entity at the time in question, and
(2) in subsection (b),
such amounts or things of value did not represent income related to such United
States person.
Any court
having jurisdiction of a civil proceeding in which control of such an offshore
account or offshore entity or the income character of such receipts or amounts
transferred is an issue shall prohibit the introduction by the taxpayer of any
foreign based document that is not authenticated in open court by a person with
knowledge of such document, or any other evidence supplied by a person outside
the jurisdiction of a United States court, unless such person appears before
the
court.
.
(B) The table of
subchapters for chapter 76 is amended by inserting after the item relating to
subchapter E the following new item:
SUBCHAPTER F—Presumptions for certain legal
proceedings
.
(2)
Definition of
non-fatca institution
Section 7701(a) is amended by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
(51)
Non-fatca
institution
The term non-FATCA institution means any
financial institution that does not meet the reporting requirements of section
1471(b).
.
(3)
Presumptions for
securities law purposes
Section 21 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78u) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
(j)
Presumptions
pertaining to control and beneficial ownership
(1)
Control
For
purposes of any civil judicial or administrative proceeding under this title,
there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a United States person (other than
an entity with shares regularly traded on an established securities market)
who, directly or indirectly, formed, transferred assets to, was a beneficiary
of, had a beneficial interest in, or received money or property or the use
thereof from an entity, including a trust, corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, or foundation (other than an entity with shares regularly
traded on an established securities market), that holds an account, or in any
other manner has assets, in a non-FATCA institution (as defined in section
7701(a)(51) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), exercised control over such
entity. The presumption of control created by this paragraph shall not be
applied to prevent the Commission from determining or arguing the absence of
control.
(2)
Beneficial
ownership
For purposes of any civil judicial or administrative
proceeding under this title, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that
securities that are nominally owned by an entity, including a trust,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or foundation (other than
an entity with shares regularly traded on an established securities market),
and that are held in a non-FATCA institution (as so defined), are beneficially
owned by any United States person (other than an entity with shares regularly
traded on an established securities market) who directly or indirectly
exercised control over such entity. The presumption of beneficial ownership
created by this paragraph shall not be applied to prevent the Commission from
determining or arguing the absence of beneficial
ownership.
.
(4)
Presumption for
reporting purposes relating to foreign financial accounts
Section
5314 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
(d)
Rebuttable
presumption
For purposes of this section, there shall be a
rebuttable presumption that any account with a non-FATCA institution (as
defined in section 7701(a)(51) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) contains
funds in an amount that is at least sufficient to require a report prescribed
by regulations under this
section.
.
(5)
Regulatory
authority
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Securities
and Exchange Commission shall each adopt regulations or other guidance
necessary to implement the amendments made by this subsection. The Secretary
and the Chairman may by regulation or guidance provide that the presumption of
control shall not extend to particular classes of transactions, such as
corporate reorganizations or transactions below a specified dollar threshold,
if either determines that applying such amendments to such transactions is not
necessary to carry out the purposes of such amendments.
(h)
Effective
date
The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the
date which is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, whether or
not regulations are issued under subsection (g)(5).
103.
Treatment of
foreign corporations managed and controlled in the United States as domestic
corporations
(a)
In
general
Section 7701 is amended by redesignating subsection (p)
as subsection (q) and by inserting after subsection (o) the following new
subsection:
(p)
Certain
corporations managed and controlled in the United States treated as domestic
for income tax
(1)
In
general
Notwithstanding subsection (a)(4), in the case of a
corporation described in paragraph (2) if—
(A) the corporation
would not otherwise be treated as a domestic corporation for purposes of this
title, but
(B) the management and
control of the corporation occurs, directly or indirectly, primarily within the
United States,
then,
solely for purposes of chapter 1 (and any other provision of this title
relating to chapter 1), the corporation shall be treated as a domestic
corporation.
(2)
Corporation
described
(A)
In
general
A corporation is described in this paragraph if—
(i) the stock of such
corporation is regularly traded on an established securities market, or
(ii) the aggregate
gross assets of such corporation (or any predecessor thereof), including assets
under management for investors, whether held directly or indirectly, at any
time during the taxable year or any preceding taxable year is $50,000,000 or
more.
(B)
General
exception
A corporation shall not be treated as described in this
paragraph if—
(i) such corporation
was treated as a corporation described in this paragraph in a preceding taxable
year,
(ii) such
corporation—
(I) is not regularly
traded on an established securities market, and
(II) has, and is
reasonably expected to continue to have, aggregate gross assets (including
assets under management for investors, whether held directly or indirectly) of
less than $50,000,000, and
(iii) the Secretary
grants a waiver to such corporation under this subparagraph.
(C)
Exception from
gross assets test
Subparagraph (A)(ii) shall not apply to a
corporation which is a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in section
957) and which is a member of an affiliated group (as defined section 1504, but
determined without regard to section 1504(b)(3)) the common parent of
which—
(i) is
a domestic corporation (determined without regard to this subsection),
and
(ii) has substantial
assets (other than cash and cash equivalents and other than stock of foreign
subsidiaries) held for use in the active conduct of a trade or business in the
United States.
(3)
Management and
control
(A)
In
general
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for purposes of
determining cases in which the management and control of a corporation is to be
treated as occurring primarily within the United States.
(B)
Executive
officers and senior management
Such regulations shall provide
that—
(i) the management and
control of a corporation shall be treated as occurring primarily within the
United States if substantially all of the executive officers and senior
management of the corporation who exercise day-to-day responsibility for making
decisions involving strategic, financial, and operational policies of the
corporation are located primarily within the United States, and
(ii) individuals who
are not executive officers and senior management of the corporation (including
individuals who are officers or employees of other corporations in the same
chain of corporations as the corporation) shall be treated as executive
officers and senior management if such individuals exercise the day-to-day
responsibilities of the corporation described in clause (i).
(C)
Corporations
primarily holding investment assets
Such regulations shall also
provide that the management and control of a corporation shall be treated as
occurring primarily within the United States if—
(i) the assets of such
corporation (directly or indirectly) consist primarily of assets being managed
on behalf of investors, and
(ii) decisions about
how to invest the assets are made in the United
States.
.
(b)
Effective
date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable
years beginning on or after the date which is 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, whether or not regulations are issued under section
7701(p)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this
section.
104.
Reporting
United States beneficial owners of foreign owned financial accounts
(a)
In
general
Subpart B of part III of subchapter A of chapter 61 is
amended by inserting after section 6045B the following new sections:
6045C.
Returns
regarding United States beneficial owners of financial accounts located in the
United States and held in the name of a foreign entity
(a)
Requirement of
return
If—
(1) any withholding
agent under sections 1441 and 1442 has the control, receipt, custody, disposal,
or payment of any amount constituting gross income from sources within the
United States of any foreign entity, including a trust, corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, or foundation (other than an entity with shares
regularly traded on an established securities market), and
(2) such withholding
agent determines for purposes of titles 14, 18, or 31 of the United States Code
that a United States person has any beneficial interest in the foreign entity
or in the account in such entity's name (hereafter in this section referred to
as United States beneficial owner),
then the
withholding agent shall make a return according to the forms or regulations
prescribed by the Secretary.
(b)
Required
information
For purposes of subsection (a) the information
required to be included on the return shall include—
(1) the name, address,
and, if known, the taxpayer identification number of the United States
beneficial owner,
(2) the known facts
pertaining to the relationship of such United States beneficial owner to the
foreign entity and the account,
(3) the gross amount
of income from sources within the United States (including gross proceeds from
brokerage transactions), and
(4) such other
information as the Secretary may by forms or regulations provide.
(c)
Statements To Be
furnished to beneficial owners with respect to whom information is required To
Be reported
A withholding agent required to make a return under
subsection (a) shall furnish to each United States beneficial owner whose name
is required to be set forth in such return a statement showing—
(1) the name, address,
and telephone number of the information contact of the person required to make
such return, and
(2) the information
required to be shown on such return with respect to such United States
beneficial owner.
The
written statement required under the preceding sentence shall be furnished to
the United States beneficial owner on or before January 31 of the year
following the calendar year for which the return under subsection (a) was
required to be made. In the event the person filing such return does not have a
current address for the United States beneficial owner, such written statement
may be mailed to the address of the foreign entity.
6045D.
Returns by
financial institutions regarding establishment of accounts in non-FATCA
institutions
(a)
Requirement of
return
Any financial institution directly or indirectly opening a
bank, brokerage, or other financial account for or on behalf of an offshore
entity, including a trust, corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
or foundation (other than an entity with shares regularly traded on an
established securities market), in a non-FATCA institution (as defined in
section 7701(a)(51)) at the direction of, on behalf of, or for the benefit of a
United States person shall make a return according to the forms or regulations
prescribed by the Secretary.
(b)
Required
information
For purposes of subsection (a) the information
required to be included on the return shall include—
(1) the name, address,
and taxpayer identification number of such United States person,
(2) the name and
address of the financial institution at which a financial account is opened,
the type of account, the account number, the name under which the account was
opened, and the amount of the initial deposit,
(3) if the account is
held in the name of an entity, the name and address of such entity, the type of
entity, and the name and address of any company formation agent or other
professional employed to form or acquire the entity, and
(4) such other
information as the Secretary may by forms or regulations provide.
(c)
Statements To be
furnished to United States persons with respect to whom information is required
To be reported
A financial institution required to make a return
under subsection (a) shall furnish to each United States person whose name is
required to be set forth in such return a statement showing—
(1) the name, address,
and telephone number of the information contact of the person required to make
such return, and
(2) the information
required to be shown on such return with respect to such United States
person.
The
written statement required under the preceding sentence shall be furnished to
such United States person on or before January 31 of the year following the
calendar year for which the return under subsection (a) was required to be
made.
(d)
Exemption
The
Secretary may by regulations exempt any class of United States persons or any
class of accounts or entities from the requirements of this section if the
Secretary determines that applying this section to such persons, accounts, or
entities is not necessary to carry out the purposes of this
section.
.
(b)
Penalties
(1)
Returns
Section
6724(d)(1)(B) is amended by striking or at the end of clause
(xxiv), by striking and at the end of clause (xxv), and by
adding after clause (xxv) the following new clauses:
(xxvi) section
6045C(a) (relating to returns regarding United States beneficial owners of
financial accounts located in the United States and held in the name of a
foreign entity), or
(xxvii) section
6045D(a) (relating to returns by financial institutions regarding establishment
of accounts at non-FATCA institutions),
and
.
(2)
Payee
statements
Section 6724(d)(2) is amended by striking
or at the end of subparagraph (GG), by striking the period at
the end of subparagraph (HH), and by inserting after subparagraph (HH) the
following new subparagraphs:
(II) section 6045C(c)
(relating to returns regarding United States beneficial owners of financial
accounts located in the United States and held in the name of a foreign
entity),
(JJ) section 6045D(c)
(relating to returns by financial institutions regarding establishment of
accounts at non-FATCA
institutions).
.
(c)
Clerical
amendment
The table of sections for subpart B of part III of
subchapter A of chapter 61 is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 6045B the following new items:
Sec. 6045C. Returns regarding
United States beneficial owners of financial accounts located in the United
States and held in the name of a foreign entity.
Sec. 6045D. Returns by
financial institutions regarding establishment of accounts at non-FATCA
institutions.
.
(d)
Additional
penalties
(1)
Additional
penalties on banks
Section 5239(b)(1) of the Revised Statutes (12
U.S.C. 93(b)(1)) is amended by inserting or any of the provisions of
section 6045D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, after any
regulation issued pursuant thereto,.
(2)
Additional
penalties on securities firms
Section 21(d)(3)(A) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78u(d)(3)(A)) is amended by
inserting any of the provisions of section 6045D of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, after the rules or regulations
thereunder,.
(e)
Regulatory
authority and effective date
(1)
Regulatory
Authority
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall adopt regulations, forms, or
other guidance necessary to implement this section.
(2)
Effective
Date
Section 6045C of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added
by this section) and the amendment made by subsection (d)(1) shall take effect
with respect to amounts paid into foreign owned accounts located in the United
States after December 31 of the year of the date of the enactment of this Act.
Section 6045D of such Code (as so added) and the amendment made by subsection
(d)(2) shall take effect with respect to accounts opened after December 31 of
the year of the date of the enactment of this Act.
105.
Swap payments
made from the United States to persons offshore
(a)
Tax on swap
payments received by foreign persons
Section 871(a)(1) is
amended—
(1) by inserting
swap payments (as identified in section 1256(b)(2)(B)), after
annuities, in subparagraph (A), and
(2) by adding at the
end the following new sentence: In the case of swap payments, the source
of a swap payment is determined by reference to the location of the
payor..
(b)
Tax on swap
payments received by foreign corporations
Section 881(a) is
amended—
(1) by inserting
swap payments (as identified in section 1256(b)(2)(B)), after
annuities, in paragraph (1), and
(2) by adding at the
end the following new sentence: In the case of swap payments, the source
of a swap payment is determined by reference to the location of the
payor..
II
Other measures to
combat tax haven and tax shelter abuses
201.
Country-by-country
reporting
(a)
Country-by-Country
reporting
Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
U.S.C. 78m) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
(s)
Disclosure of
financial performance on a country-by-Country basis
(1)
Definitions
In
this subsection—
(A) the term
issuer group means the issuer, each subsidiary of the issuer, and
each entity under the control of the issuer; and
(B) the term
country of operation means each country in which a member of the
issuer group is incorporated, organized, maintains employees, or conducts
significant business activities.
(2)
Rules
required
The Commission shall issue rules that require each
issuer to include in an annual report filed by the issuer with the Commission
information on a country-by-country basis during the covered period, consisting
of—
(A) a list of each
country of operation and the name of each entity of the issuer group domiciled
in each country of operation;
(B) the number of
employees physically working in each country of operation;
(C) the total pre-tax
gross revenues of each member of the issuer group in each country of
operation;
(D) the total amount
of payments made to governments by each member of the issuer group in each
country of operation, without exception, including, and set forth according
to—
(i) total Federal,
regional, local, and other tax assessed against each member of the issuer group
with respect to each country of operation during the covered period; and
(ii) after any tax
deductions, tax credits, tax forgiveness, or other tax benefits or waivers, the
total amount of tax paid from the treasury of each member of the issuer group
to the government of each country of operation during the covered period;
and
(E) such other
financial information as the Commission may determine is necessary or
appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of
investors.
.
(b)
Rulemaking
(1)
Deadlines
The
Securities and Exchange Commission (in this section referred to as the
Commission) shall—
(A) not later than 270
days after the date of enactment of this Act, issue a proposed rule to carry
out this section and the amendment made by this section; and
(B) not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, issue a final rule to carry out
this section and the amendment made by this section.
(2)
Data
format
The information required to be provided by this section
shall be provided by the issuer in a format prescribed by the Commission, and
shall be made available to the public online, in such format as the Commission
shall prescribe.
(3)
Effective
date
Subsection (s) of section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as added by this section, shall become effective 1 year after the date
on which the Commission issues a final rule under this section.
202.
Penalty for
failing to disclose offshore holdings
(a)
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Section 21(d)(3)(B) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78u(d)(3)(B)) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
(iv)
Fourth
tier
Notwithstanding clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), for each
violation, the amount of the penalty shall not exceed $1,000,000 for any
natural person or $10,000,000 for any other person, if—
(I) such person
directly or indirectly controlled any foreign entity, including any trust,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or foundation through
which an issuer purchased, sold, or held equity or debt instruments;
(II) such person
knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose any such holding, purchase, or sale
by the issuer; and
(III) the holding,
purchase, or sale would have been otherwise subject to disclosure by the issuer
or such person under this
title.
.
(b)
Securities Act
of 1933
Section 20(d)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C.
77t(d)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(D)
Fourth
tier
Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), for each
violation, the amount of the penalty shall not exceed $1,000,000 for any
natural person or $10,000,000 for any other person, if—
(i) such person
directly or indirectly controlled any foreign entity, including any trust,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or foundation through
which an issuer purchased, sold, or held equity or debt instruments;
(ii) such person
knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose any such holding, purchase, or sale
by the issuer; and
(iii) the holding,
purchase, or sale would have been otherwise subject to disclosure by the issuer
or such person under this
title.
.
(c)
Investment
Advisers Act of 1940
Section 203(i)(2) of the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–3(i)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
(D)
Fourth
tier
Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), for each
violation, the amount of the penalty shall not exceed $1,000,000 for any
natural person or $10,000,000 for any other person, if—
(i) such person
directly or indirectly controlled any foreign entity, including any trust,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or foundation through
which an issuer purchased, sold, or held equity or debt instruments;
(ii) such person
knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose any such holding, purchase, or sale
by the issuer; and
(iii) the holding,
purchase, or sale would have been otherwise subject to disclosure by the issuer
or such person under this
title.
.
203.
Deadline for
anti-money laundering rule for investment advisers
(a)
Anti-Money
laundering obligations for investment advisers
Section 5312(a)(2)
of title 31, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subparagraph
(Y), by striking or at the end;
(2) by redesignating
subparagraph (Z) as subparagraph (BB); and
(3) by inserting after
subparagraph (Y) the following:
(Z) an investment
adviser;
.
(b)
Rules
required
The Secretary of the Treasury shall—
(1) in consultation
with the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Chairman of
the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not later than 270 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register
to carry out the amendments made by this section; and
(2) not later than 180
days after the date of enactment of this Act, publish a final rule in the
Federal Register on the matter described in paragraph (1).
(c)
Contents
The
final rule published under this section shall require, at a minimum, each
investment adviser (as defined in section 202(a)(11) of the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–2(a)(11))) registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission pursuant to section 203 of that Act (15 U.S.C.
80b–3)—
(1) to submit
suspicious activity reports and establish an anti-money laundering program
under subsections (g) and (h), respectively, of section 5318 of title 31,
United States Code; and
(2) to comply
with—
(A) the customer
identification program requirements under section 5318(l) of title 31, United
States Code; and
(B) the due diligence
requirements under section 5318(i) of title 31, United States Code.
204.
Anti-money
laundering requirements for formation agents
(a)
Anti-Money
laundering obligations for formation agents
Section 5312(a)(2) of
title 31, United States Code, as amended by section 113 of this Act, is amended
by inserting after subparagraph (Z) the following:
(AA) any person
engaged in the business of forming new corporations, limited liability
companies, partnerships, trusts, or other legal entities;
or
.
(b)
Deadline for
anti-Money laundering rule for formation agents
(1)
Proposed
rule
The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the
Attorney General of the United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, shall—
(A) not later than 120
days after the date of enactment of this Act, publish a proposed rule in the
Federal Register requiring persons described in section 5312(a)(2)(AA) of title
31, United States Code, as added by this section, to establish anti-money
laundering programs under section 5318(h) of that title; and
(B) not later than 270
days after the date of enactment of this Act, publish a final rule in the
Federal Register on the matter described in subparagraph (A).
(2)
Exclusions
The
rule promulgated under this subsection shall exclude from the category of
persons engaged in the business of forming new corporations or other
entities—
(A) any government
agency; and
(B) any attorney or
law firm that uses a paid formation agent operating within the United States to
form such corporations or other entities.
205.
Strengthening
John Doe summons proceedings
(a)
In
general
Subsection (f) of section 7609 is amended to read as
follows:
(f)
Additional
requirement in the case of a John Doe summons
(1)
General
Rule
Any summons described in subsection (c)(1) which does not
identify the person with respect to whose liability the summons is issued may
be served only after a court proceeding in which the Secretary establishes
that—
(A) the summons
relates to the investigation of a particular person or ascertainable group or
class of persons,
(B) there is a
reasonable basis for believing that such person or group or class of persons
may fail or may have failed to comply with any provision of any internal
revenue law, and
(C) the information
sought to be obtained from the examination of the records or testimony (and the
identity of the person or persons with respect to whose liability the summons
is issued) is not readily available from other sources.
(2)
Exception
Paragraph
(1) shall not apply to any summons which specifies that it is limited to
information regarding a United States correspondent account (as defined in
section 5318A(e)(1)(B) of title 31, United States Code) or a United States
payable-through account (as defined in section 5318A(e)(1)(C) of such title) of
a financial institution that is held at a non-FATCA institution (as defined in
section 7701(a)(51)).
(3)
Presumption in
cases involving non-fatca institutions
For purposes of this
section, in any case in which the particular person or ascertainable group or
class of persons have financial accounts in or transactions related to a
non-FATCA institution (as defined in section 7701(a)(51)), there shall be a
presumption that there is a reasonable basis for believing that such person or
group or class of persons may fail or may have failed to comply with provisions
of internal revenue law.
(4)
Project John Doe
summonses
(A)
In
general
Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (1), the
Secretary may issue a summons described in paragraph (1) if the summons—
(i) relates to a
project which is approved under subparagraph (B),
(ii) is issued to a
person who is a member of the group or class established under subparagraph
(B)(i), and
(iii) is issued within
3 years of the date on which such project was approved under subparagraph
(B).
(B)
Approval of
projects
A project may only be approved under this subparagraph
after a court proceeding in which the Secretary establishes that—
(i) any summons issues
with respect to the project will be issued to a member of an ascertainable
group or class of persons, and
(ii) any summons
issued with respect to such project will meet the requirements of paragraph
(1).
(C)
Extension
Upon
application of the Secretary, the court may extend the time for issuing such
summonses under subparagraph (A)(i) for additional 3-year periods, but only if
the court continues to exercise oversight of such project under subparagraph
(D).
(D)
Ongoing court
oversight
During any period in which the Secretary is authorized
to issue summonses in relation to a project approved under subparagraph (B)
(including during any extension under subparagraph (C)), the Secretary shall
report annually to the court on the use of such authority, provide copies of
all summonses with such report, and comply with the court's direction with
respect to the issuance of any John Doe summons under such
project.
.
(b)
Jurisdiction of
court
(1)
In
general
Paragraph (1) of section 7609(h) is amended by inserting
after the first sentence the following new sentence: Any United States
district court in which a member of the group or class to which a summons may
be issued resides or is found shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the
approval of a project under subsection (f)(2)(B)..
(2)
Conforming
amendment
The first sentence of section 7609(h)(1) is amended by
striking (f) and inserting (f)(1).
(c)
Effective
date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to summonses
issued after the date of the enactment of this Act.
206.
Improving
enforcement of foreign financial account reporting
(a)
Clarifying the
connection of foreign financial account reporting to tax
administration
Paragraph (4) of section 6103(b) is amended by
adding at the end the following new sentence:
For
purposes of subparagraph (A)(i), section 5314 of title 31, United States Code,
and sections 5321 and 5322 of such title (as such sections pertain to such
section 5314), shall be considered related
statutes.
.
(b)
Simplifying the
calculation of foreign financial account reporting
penalties
Section 5321(a)(5)(D)(ii) of title 31, United States
Code, is amended by striking the balance in the account at the time of
the violation and inserting the highest balance in the account
during the reporting period to which the violation relates.
(c)
Clarifying the
use of suspicious activity reports under the Bank Secrecy Act for civil tax law
enforcement
Section 5319 of title 31, United States Code, is
amended by inserting the civil and criminal enforcement divisions of the
Internal Revenue Service, after including.
III
Combating tax
shelter promoters
301.
Penalty for
promoting abusive tax shelters
(a)
Penalty for
promoting abusive tax shelters
Section 6700 is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as
subsections (d) and (e), respectively,
(2) by striking a penalty and
all that follows through the period in the first sentence of subsection (a) and
inserting a penalty determined under subsection (b), and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the
following new subsections:
(b)
Amount of
penalty; calculation of penalty; liability for penalty
(1)
Amount of
penalty
The amount of the
penalty imposed by subsection (a) shall not exceed 150 percent of the gross
income derived (or to be derived) from such activity by the person or persons
subject to such penalty.
(2)
Calculation of
penalty
The penalty amount
determined under paragraph (1) shall be calculated with respect to each
instance of an activity described in subsection (a), each instance in which
income was derived by the person or persons subject to such penalty, and each
person who participated in such an activity.
(3)
Liability for
penalty
If more than 1 person
is liable under subsection (a) with respect to such activity, all such persons
shall be jointly and severally liable for the penalty under such
subsection.
(c)
Penalty not
deductible
The payment of any
penalty imposed under this section or the payment of any amount to settle or
avoid the imposition of such penalty shall not be considered an ordinary and
necessary expense in carrying on a trade or business for purposes of this title
and shall not be deductible by the person who is subject to such penalty or who
makes such
payment.
.
(b)
Conforming
amendment
Section 6700(a) is
amended by striking the last sentence.
(c)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this section shall apply to activities after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
302.
Penalty for aiding
and abetting the understatement of tax liability
(a)
In
general
Section 6701(a) is
amended—
(1) by inserting the tax liability
or after respect to, in paragraph (1),
(2) by inserting aid, assistance,
procurement, or advice with respect to such before
portion both places it appears in paragraphs (2) and (3),
and
(3) by inserting instance of aid,
assistance, procurement, or advice or each such before
document in the matter following paragraph (3).
(b)
Amount of
penalty
Subsection (b) of
section 6701 is amended to read as follows:
(b)
Amount of
penalty; calculation of penalty; liability for penalty
(1)
Amount of
penalty
The amount of the
penalty imposed by subsection (a) shall not exceed 150 percent of the gross
income derived (or to be derived) from such aid, assistance, procurement, or
advice provided by the person or persons subject to such penalty.
(2)
Calculation of
penalty
The penalty amount
determined under paragraph (1) shall be calculated with respect to each
instance of aid, assistance, procurement, or advice described in subsection
(a), each instance in which income was derived by the person or persons subject
to such penalty, and each person who made such an understatement of the
liability for tax.
(3)
Liability for
penalty
If more than 1 person
is liable under subsection (a) with respect to providing such aid, assistance,
procurement, or advice, all such persons shall be jointly and severally liable
for the penalty under such
subsection.
.
(c)
Penalty not
deductible
Section 6701 is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(g)
Penalty not
deductible
The payment of any
penalty imposed under this section or the payment of any amount to settle or
avoid the imposition of such penalty shall not be considered an ordinary and
necessary expense in carrying on a trade or business for purposes of this title
and shall not be deductible by the person who is subject to such penalty or who
makes such
payment.
.
(d)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this section shall apply to activities after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
303.
Prohibited fee
arrangement
(a)
In
general
Section 6701, as
amended by this Act, is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as
subsections (g) and (h), respectively,
(2) by striking subsection (a).
in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (g) (as redesignated by paragraph (1))
and inserting subsection (a) or (f)., and
(3) by inserting after subsection (e) the
following new subsection:
(f)
Prohibited fee
arrangement
(1)
In
general
Any person who makes
an agreement for, charges, or collects a fee which is for services provided in
connection with the internal revenue laws, and the amount of which is
calculated according to, or is dependent upon, a projected or actual amount
of—
(A) tax savings or benefits, or
(B) losses which can be used to offset other
taxable income,
shall pay a penalty with respect to
each such fee activity in the amount determined under subsection (b).
(2)
Rules
The Secretary may issue rules to carry out
the purposes of this subsection and may provide exceptions for fee arrangements
that are in the public
interest.
.
(b)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this section shall apply to fee agreements, charges, and collections made after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
304.
Preventing tax
shelter activities by financial institutions
(a)
Examinations
(1)
Development of
examination techniques
Each
of the Federal banking agencies and the Commission shall, in consultation with
the Internal Revenue Service, develop examination techniques to detect
potential violations of section 6700 or 6701 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, by depository institutions, brokers, dealers, and investment advisers, as
appropriate.
(2)
Implementation
Each of the Federal banking agencies and
the Commission shall implement the examination techniques developed under
paragraph (1) with respect to each of the depository institutions, brokers,
dealers, or investment advisers subject to their enforcement authority. Such
examination shall, to the extent possible, be combined with any examination by
such agency otherwise required or authorized by Federal law.
(b)
Report to
internal revenue service
In
any case in which an examination conducted under this section with respect to a
financial institution or other entity reveals a potential violation, such
agency shall promptly notify the Internal Revenue Service of such potential
violation for investigation and enforcement by the Internal Revenue Service, in
accordance with applicable provisions of law.
(c)
Report to
congress
The Federal banking
agencies and the Commission shall submit a joint written report to Congress in
2013 on their progress in preventing violations of sections 6700 and 6701 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by depository institutions, brokers,
dealers, and investment advisers, as appropriate.
(d)
Definitions
For purposes of this section—
(1) the terms broker,
dealer, and investment adviser have the same meanings
as in section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c);
(2) the term Commission means the
Securities and Exchange Commission;
(3) the term depository
institution has the same meaning as in section 3(c) of the Federal
Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c));
(4) the term Federal banking
agencies has the same meaning as in section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(q)); and
(5) the term Secretary means the
Secretary of the Treasury.
305.
Information sharing
for enforcement purposes
(a)
Promotion of
prohibited tax shelters or tax avoidance schemes
Section 6103(h) is amended by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
(7)
Disclosure of
returns and return information related to promotion of prohibited tax shelters
or tax avoidance schemes
(A)
Written
request
Upon receipt by the
Secretary of a written request which meets the requirements of subparagraph (B)
from the head of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, an
appropriate Federal banking agency as defined under section 1813(q) of title
12, United States Code, or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a
return or return information shall be disclosed to such requestor’s officers
and employees who are personally and directly engaged in an investigation,
examination, or proceeding by such requestor to evaluate, determine, penalize,
or deter conduct by a financial institution, issuer, or public accounting firm,
or associated person, in connection with a potential or actual violation of
section 6700 (promotion of abusive tax shelters), 6701 (aiding and abetting
understatement of tax liability), or activities related to promoting or
facilitating inappropriate tax avoidance or tax evasion. Such disclosure shall
be solely for use by such officers and employees in such investigation,
examination, or proceeding. In the discretion of the Secretary, such disclosure
may take the form of the participation of Internal Revenue Service employees in
a joint investigation, examination, or proceeding with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Federal banking agency, or Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board.
(B)
Requirements
A request meets the requirements of this
subparagraph if it sets forth—
(i) the nature of the investigation,
examination, or proceeding,
(ii) the statutory authority under which such
investigation, examination, or proceeding is being conducted,
(iii) the name or names of the financial
institution, issuer, or public accounting firm to which such return information
relates,
(iv) the taxable period or periods to which such
return information relates, and
(v) the specific reason or reasons why such
disclosure is, or may be, relevant to such investigation, examination or
proceeding.
(C)
Financial
institution
For the purposes
of this paragraph, the term financial institution means a
depository institution, foreign bank, insured institution, industrial loan
company, broker, dealer, investment company, investment advisor, or other
entity subject to regulation or oversight by the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission or an appropriate Federal banking
agency.
.
(b)
Financial and
accounting fraud investigations
Section 6103(i) is amended by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
(9)
Disclosure of
returns and return information for use in financial and accounting fraud
investigations
(A)
Written
request
Upon receipt by the
Secretary of a written request which meets the requirements of subparagraph (B)
from the head of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a return or return information shall
be disclosed to such requestor’s officers and employees who are personally and
directly engaged in an investigation, examination, or proceeding by such
requester to evaluate the accuracy of a financial statement or report, or to
determine whether to require a restatement, penalize, or deter conduct by an
issuer, investment company, or public accounting firm, or associated person, in
connection with a potential or actual violation of auditing standards or
prohibitions against false or misleading statements or omissions in financial
statements or reports. Such disclosure shall be solely for use by such officers
and employees in such investigation, examination, or proceeding.
(B)
Requirements
A request meets the requirements of this
subparagraph if it sets forth—
(i) the nature of the investigation,
examination, or proceeding,
(ii) the statutory authority under which such
investigation, examination, or proceeding is being conducted,
(iii) the name or names of the issuer, investment
company, or public accounting firm to which such return information
relates,
(iv) the taxable period or periods to which such
return information relates, and
(v) the specific reason or reasons why such
disclosure is, or may be, relevant to such investigation, examination or
proceeding.
.
(c)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this section shall apply to disclosures and to information and document
requests made after the date of the enactment of this Act.
306.
Disclosure of
information to Congress
(a)
Disclosure by
tax return preparer
(1)
In
general
Subparagraph (B) of
section 7216(b)(1) is amended to read as follows:
(B) pursuant to any one of the following
documents, if clearly identified:
(i) The order of any Federal, State, or local
court of record.
(ii) A subpoena issued by a Federal or State
grand jury.
(iii) An administrative order, summons, or
subpoena which is issued in the performance of its duties by—
(I) any Federal agency, including Congress or
any committee or subcommittee thereof, or
(II) any State agency, body, or commission
charged under the laws of the State or a political subdivision of the State
with the licensing, registration, or regulation of tax return
preparers.
.
(2)
Effective
date
The amendment made by
this subsection shall apply to disclosures made after the date of the enactment
of this Act pursuant to any document in effect on or after such date.
(b)
Disclosure by
Secretary
Paragraph (2) of
section 6104(a) is amended to read as follows:
(2)
Inspection by
Congress
(A)
In
general
Upon receipt of a
written request from a committee or subcommittee of Congress, copies of
documents related to a determination by the Secretary to grant, deny, revoke,
or restore an organization’s exemption from taxation under section 501 shall be
provided to such committee or subcommittee, including any application, notice
of status, or supporting information provided by such organization to the
Internal Revenue Service; any letter, analysis, or other document produced by
or for the Internal Revenue Service evaluating, determining, explaining, or
relating to the tax exempt status of such organization (other than returns,
unless such returns are available to the public under this section or section
6103 or 6110); and any communication between the Internal Revenue Service and
any other party relating to the tax exempt status of such organization.
(B)
Additional
information
Section 6103(f)
shall apply with respect to—
(i) the application for exemption of any
organization described in subsection (c) or (d) of section 501 which is exempt
from taxation under section 501(a) for any taxable year and any application
referred to in subparagraph (B) of subsection (a)(1) of this section,
and
(ii) any other papers which are in the
possession of the Secretary and which relate to such application,
as if such papers constituted
returns.
.
(c)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this section shall apply to disclosures and to information and document
requests made after the date of the enactment of this Act.
307.
Tax opinion
standards for tax practitioners
Section 330(d) of title 31, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(d) The Secretary of the Treasury shall impose
standards applicable to the rendering of written advice with respect to any
listed transaction or any entity, plan, arrangement, or other transaction which
has a potential for tax avoidance or evasion. Such standards shall address, but
not be limited to, the following issues:
(1) Independence of the practitioner issuing
such written advice from persons promoting, marketing, or recommending the
subject of the advice.
(2) Collaboration among practitioners, or
between a practitioner and other party, which could result in such
collaborating parties having a joint financial interest in the subject of the
advice.
(3) Avoidance of conflicts of interest which
would impair auditor independence.
(4) For written advice issued by a firm,
standards for reviewing the advice and ensuring the consensus support of the
firm for positions taken.
(5) Reliance on reasonable factual
representations by the taxpayer and other parties.
(6) Appropriateness of the fees charged by the
practitioner for the written advice.
(7) Preventing practitioners and firms from
aiding or abetting the understatement of tax liability by clients.
(8) Banning the promotion of potentially
abusive or illegal tax
shelters.
.