(Sec. 2002 of the Bill & Sec. 6071 of the Code)

Present Law

Information such as the amount of dividends, partnership distributions, and interest paid during the calendar year must be supplied to taxpayers by the payors by January 31 of the following calendar year. The payors must file an information return with the IRS with the information by February 28 of the year following the calendar year for which the return must be filed. Under present law, the due date for filing information returns with the IRS is the same whether such returns are filed on paper, on magnetic media, or electronically. Most information returns are filed on magnetic media (such as computer tapes), which are physically shipped to the IRS.

Reasons for Change

The Committee believes that encouraging information return filers to file electronically will substantially increase the efficiency of the tax system by avoiding the need to convert the information from magnetic media or paper to electronic form before return matching.

Explanation of Provision

The provision provides an incentive to filers of information returns to use electronic filing by extending the due date for filing such returns from February 28 (under present law) to March 31 of the year following the calendar year to which the return relates.

The provision also requires the Treasury to issue a study evaluating the merits and disadvantages, if any, of extending the deadline for providing taxpayers with copies of information returns from January 31 to February 15 (Forms W-2 would still be required to be furnished by January 31).

Effective Date

The extension of the due date for filing returns applies to information returns required to be filed after December 31, 1999. The Treasury study is due by December 31, 1998.