WASHINGTON – House Small Business Committee Chairman Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) introduced legislation on Sept. 21 that aims to lower the tax burden that he says "hampers" small employers' efforts to compete in the global economy and create American jobs. The Small Employer Tax Relief Act of 2005, HR 3841, includes 16 provisions that seek tax relief for small businesses. The main provisions of the bill would: * Provide self-employed individuals with a deduction for health insurance premiums in calculating federal payroll taxes; * Permanently extend small business expensing at $100,000; * Increase the deductibility of meals and entertainment expenses from 50% to 80%; * Phase out the alternative minimum tax for individuals through 2009; * Provide small business employers a tax credit for expenses for long-term training of employees in highly skilled small business trades; * Permanently extend the work opportunity tax credit and the welfare to work tax credit; * Increase the annual contribution limits to "simple" pension plans to match that permitted to 401(k) plans; ** Provide a 15-year depreciation recovery period for replacement roofs of 15 and make permanent the 15-year depreciation for qualified leasehold improvement property and qualified restaurant property; * Modify the depreciation rules for computer equipment, software, and vehicles; * Simplify estimated tax rules by reinstating the 90% of current year or 100% of prior year's tax liability for taxpayers to avoid a penalty for underpayment; * Amend the Internal Revenue Code to treat as a sole proprietorship (rather than a partnership) a business that is owned and operated by married taxpayers; * Increase the net self-employment income filing threshold amount ($400 under current law) to $1,000 and index it for inflation; * Provide an annual standard home office deduction of $2,500 (indexed for inflation); * Extend the time for making S Corporation elections; ** Provide taxpayers the right to have an IRS examination take place at a site other than the taxpayer's home or business premises; and *Lower from 10% to 2% the penalty on employers who pay the correct federal tax deposit but make that payment in an incorrect fashion. "For years, the tax code has punished small employers by taxing them at higher individual rates and by limiting deductions claimed by large corporations," Manzullo said. "This comprehensive tax relief bill starts to level the playing field," "Our small employers – the job creators of our economy – need this tax relief to compete in the global economy and continue to provide jobs for Americans." The legislation is sponsored by the National Federation of Independent Business; National Association for the Self-Employed; National Small Business Association; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Legislative Council, and Society of American Florists. [email protected]