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HR 1278 109th Congress House Finance and Financial Sector Bankruptcy Collection of accounts Debtor and creditor Law Trusts and trustees

Billionaire's Loophole Elimination Act

Introduced: March 14, 2005 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 4, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.
Mar 14, 2005
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 14, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Billionaire's Loophole Elimination Act - Amends Federal bankruptcy law to permit the bankruptcy trustee to avoid a transfer to an asset protection trust of an interest of the debtor in property made within ten years before filing of the bankruptcy petition, if the transfer amount (or the aggregate amount of all transfers to the trust within the ten-year period) exceeds $125,000, to the extent that the debtor's beneficial interest in the trust does not become property of the estate because of a restriction enforceable under applicable nonbankruptcy law (because it is income from a spendthrift trust reasonably necessary for the support of debtor and dependents).

Defines asset protection trust as one settled by the debtor, in which the debtor has a direct or indirect beneficial interest or under which the trustee may distribute property to or for the benefit of the debtor, and as to which a restriction on the voluntary or involuntary transfer of the debtor's beneficial interest in the trust is enforceable under applicable nonbankruptcy law.

Excludes from the meaning of asset protection trust: (1) specified retirement funds, (2) charitable trusts; and (3) certain educational trust, funds, or accounts.

What's happening now April 4, 2005

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1278: Billionaire's Loophole Elimination Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-1278/
MLA
"H.R. 1278: Billionaire's Loophole Elimination Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-1278/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1278, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-1278/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1278: Billionaire's Loophole Elimination Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-1278/)
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