Promises, promises

Fiscal Year 2006 THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS

Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2006 contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President’s budget and management priorities, and budget overviews organized by agency. Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2006 (2.7 MB) contains analyses that are designed to highlight specified subject areas or provide other significant presentations of budget data that place the budget in perspective. This volume includes economic and accounting analyses; information on Federal receipts and collections; analyses of Federal spending; detailed information on Federal borrowing and debt; baseline or current services estimates; and other technical presentations.

FEDERAL RECEIPTS AND COLLECTIONS: FEDERAL RECEIPTS-Chapter 17: TAX INCENTIVES (PAGE 286)
Encourage Telecommuting Exclude from income the value of employer-provided computers, software, and peripherals.Under current law, the value of computers and related equipment and services provided by an employer to an employee for home use is generally allocated between business and personal use. The business-use portion is excluded from the employee’s income whereas the personal-use portion is subject to income and payroll taxes. In order to simplify recordkeeping, improve compliance, and encourage telecommuting, the Administration proposes to allow individuals to exclude from income the value of employer-provided computers and related equipment and services necessary to perform work for the employer at home. The employee would be required to make substantial use of the equipment to perform work for the employer. Substantial business use would include standby use for periods when work from home may be required by the employer, such as during work closures caused by the threat of terrorism, inclement weather, or natural disasters. The proposal would be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.

[Thanks to Linda Russell for alerting us to this. (web site)]