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HR 4542 105th Congress House

Tax Relief for Working Americans Act of 1998

Official title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce the marriage penalty, to encourage health coverage, to allow the nonrefundable personal credits against th… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce the marriage penalty, to encourage health coverage, to allow the nonrefundable personal credits against the alternative minimum tax, and to extend permanently certain expiring provisions, and to amend the Social Security Act to increase the earnings limitation.

Introduced: September 16, 1998 See on congress.gov
Taxation Accident insuranceAnnuitiesBank holding companiesBrokers
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Business income taxCasualty insuranceCharitable contributionsCharitiesClinical trialsCommerceContractsCorporate financeCorporation taxesDrugsEarningsEducationEmployment tax creditsFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceForeign banks and bankingForeign corporationsFoundationsHealthHealth insuranceHigher educationHolding companiesIncomeIncome taxInsurance companiesInsurance premiumsInterest ratesInvestmentsLabor and EmploymentLife insuranceLong-term care insuranceMarried peopleMedical economicsMedical researchMedical suppliesMinimum taxOld age, survivors and disability insuranceOlder workersPersonal income taxProperty insuranceResearch and development tax creditRetirement incomeScience, Technology, CommunicationsSecurities industrySocial WelfareSocial security beneficiariesSocial security taxesStocksTax creditsTax deductionsTax exclusionTax exemptionTax-exempt organizationsTaxation of foreign incomeTeaching hospitalsWagesWithholding tax
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 10, 1998
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Sep 10, 1998
Introduced in House
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 Latest action September 10, 1998

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Provisions Primarily Affecting Individuals

Title II: Provisions Primarily Affecting Businesses

Subtitle A: Certain Expiring Provisions Modified and

Made Permanent

Subtitle B: Credit for Clinical Testing Research

Expenses Attributable to Certain Qualified Academic

Institutions Including Teaching Hospitals

Tax Relief for Working Americans Act of 1998 - Title I: Provisions Primarily Affecting Individuals - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make the basic standard deduction for married individuals twice the deduction for unmarried individuals.

(Sec. 102) Provides for the full deduction for health insurance costs of individuals not eligible to participate in employer-subsidized health plans.

(Sec. 103) Revises provisions concerning the aggregate amount of nonrefundable personal credits allowed to provide that the aggregate amount of such credits shall not exceed the sum of the taxpayer's regular tax liability and the alternative minimum tax.

(Sec. 104) Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to increase, for any taxable year ending after 1998 and before 2000, the monthly exempt amount for individuals who have attained retirement age.

Title II: Provisions Primarily Affecting Businesses - Subtitle A: Certain Expiring Provisions Modified and Made Permanent - Makes permanent the credit for increasing research activities. Increases the alternative incremental credit rate.

(Sec. 202) Makes permanent the work opportunity credit. Sets forth, as a general rule, that the amount equal to the work opportunity credit amount with respect to any wages paid for any calendar quarter by an eligible tax-exempt employer shall be treated as payment by such employer of such employer's tax liability for such calendar quarter.

(Sec. 203) Extends permanently the special rule for contributions of stock for which market quotations are readily available.

(Sec. 204) Excludes from the definition of "foreign personal holding company income" income which is derived in the active conduct by a controlled foreign corporation of a banking, financing, or similar business, subject to stated conditions.

Subtitle B: Credit for Clinical Testing Research Expenses Attributable to Certain Qualified Academic Institutions Including Teaching Hospitals - Establishes a medical innovation credit equal to 20 percent of the excess (if any) of: (1) the qualified medical innovation expenses for the taxable year; over (2) the medical innovation base period amount. Defines terms.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4542: Tax Relief for Working Americans Act of 1998. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4542/
MLA
"H.R. 4542: Tax Relief for Working Americans Act of 1998." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4542/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4542, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4542/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4542: Tax Relief for Working Americans Act of 1998](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4542/)
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