TAX RELIEF FOR FRAUD VICTIMS ACT

On 2026-09-15, Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI-6) delivered a floor speech titled "TAX RELIEF FOR FRAUD VICTIMS ACT" in the House.

TAX RELIEF FOR FRAUD VICTIMS ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5687-H5690] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TAX RELIEF FOR FRAUD VICTIMS ACT Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9500) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the limitation on deductions for personal casualty losses and to provide for increased taxpayer relief with respect to theft losses involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 9500 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act''. SEC. 2. REPEAL OF LIMITATION ON DEDUCTIONS FOR PERSONAL CASUALTY LOSSES; INCREASED TAXPAYER RELIEF WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN THEFT LOSSES. (a) Repeal of Limitation on Deductions for Personal Casualty Losses.--Section [[Page H5688]] 165(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking paragraph (5). (b) Certain Theft Losses Sustained During Taxable Year of Choice; Extension of Period of Limitation for Credit or Refund Claims for Certain Theft Losses.-- (1) Certain theft losses sustained during taxable year of choice.--Section 165(e) of such Code is amended to read as follows: ``(e) Theft Losses.--For purposes of subsection (a)-- ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), any loss arising from theft shall be treated as sustained during the taxable year in which the taxpayer discovers such loss. ``(2) Theft losses involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.--In the case of any loss arising from theft involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation (as defined by the Secretary), the taxpayer may elect to treat such loss as sustained during the taxable year in which such loss occurs.''. (2) Extension of period of limitation for credit or refund claims for certain theft losses.--Section 165(h)(4) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(F) Period of limitation for credit or refund claims for theft losses involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.-- In the case of a claim for credit or refund with respect to a deduction allowed under subsection (a) for any loss arising from theft involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation-- ``(i) the period of limitation prescribed by section 6511(a) for the filing of such claim shall be treated as not expiring earlier than the date that is 1 year after the date on which the taxpayer discovers such loss, and ``(ii) section 6511(b)(2) shall not apply with respect to the filing of such claim.''. (c) Distributions Relating to Theft Losses Involving Fraud, Deceit, or Misrepresentation.--Section 72(t)(2) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(O) Distributions relating to theft losses involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.-- ``(i) In general.--Any distribution to the extent it relates to any loss arising from theft involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation for which a deduction is allowed under section 165(a). ``(ii) Amount distributed may be repaid.--Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (H)(v) shall apply with respect to an individual who receives a distribution to which clause (i) applies, except that subparagraph (H)(v)(I) shall be applied by substituting `1-year period beginning on the day after the date on which the taxpayer discovers the loss described in subparagraph (O)(i)' for `3-year period beginning on the day after the date on which such distribution was received'. ``(iii) Period of limitation for credit or refund claims.-- In the case of a claim for credit or refund of the tax imposed by paragraph (1) with respect to a distribution described in clause (i)-- ``(I) the period of limitation prescribed by section 6511(a) for the filing of such claim shall be treated as not expiring earlier than the date that is 1 year after the date on which the taxpayer discovers the loss described in clause (i), and ``(II) section 6511(b)(2) shall not apply with respect to the filing of such claim.''. (d) Cross Reference.--Section 6511(i) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(8) For a period of limitations for credit or refund in the case of theft losses involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation, see sections 72(t)(2)(O)(iii) and 165(h)(4)(F).''. (e) Claim Processing Deadline.--In the case of a claim for credit or refund with respect to a deduction allowed under section 165(a) of such Code for any specified personal casualty loss (as defined in subsection (f)(5)) or with respect to any distribution described in section 72(t)(2)(O)(i) of such Code (as added by this section), the Secretary of the Treasury (or the Secretary's delegate) shall process such claim not later than 2 years after the date on which such claim is filed. (f) Effective Dates.-- (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the amendments made by this section shall apply to losses sustained in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. (2) Specified personal casualty losses.--In the case of any specified personal casualty loss, paragraph (1) shall be applied by substituting ``December 31, 2020'' for ``December 31, 2025''. (3) Distributions relating to theft losses involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.--The amendment made by subsection (c) shall apply to distributions made after December 31, 2020. (4) Extension of period of limitation for credit or refund claims for specified personal casualty losses.-- (A) Fraud-related personal casualty losses.--In the case of any fraud-related personal casualty loss, if the taxpayer discovers such loss before the date of the enactment of this section-- (i) section 165(h)(4)(F)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by this section) shall be applied by substituting ``the date of the enactment of this subparagraph'' for ``the date on which the taxpayer discovers such loss'', and (ii) section 72(t)(2)(O)(iii)(I) of such Code (as added by this section) shall be applied by substituting ``the date of the enactment of this subparagraph'' for ``the date on which the taxpayer discovers the loss described in clause (i)''. (B) Pyrrhotite-related personal casualty losses.--In the case of a claim for credit or refund with respect to a deduction allowed under section 165(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for any pyrrhotite-related personal casualty loss-- (i) the period of limitation prescribed by section 6511(a) of such Code for the filing of such claim shall be treated as not expiring earlier than the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, and (ii) section 6511(b)(2) of such Code shall not apply with respect to the filing of such claim. (5) Specified personal casualty loss.--For purposes of this subsection-- (A) Specified personal casualty loss.--The term ``specified personal casualty loss'' means-- (i) any fraud-related personal casualty loss, and (ii) any pyrrhotite-related personal casualty loss. (B) Fraud-related personal casualty loss.--The term ``fraud-related personal casualty loss'' means any personal casualty loss (as defined in section 165(h)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) sustained after December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2026, arising from theft involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation (as defined by the Secretary). (C) Pyrrhotite-related personal casualty loss.--The term ``pyrrhotite-related personal casualty loss'' means any personal casualty loss (as defined in section 165(h)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) sustained after December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2026, in connection with damage to a principal residence (within the meaning of section 121 of such Code) by reason of deterioration of a concrete foundation adversely impacted by pyrrhotite. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri. General Leave Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri? There was no objection. Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9500, the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act, introduced by Representative Miller of Ohio. Many of our fellow Americans have been the victims of fraud and suffered tremendous losses, both financial and otherwise. The hardship these victims endure in rebuilding their finances or recovering from identity theft is made all the worse by the fact that under current law they are also required to pay taxes on their scam-related losses. This legislation provides much-needed relief for victims of fraud by allowing taxpayers to deduct the losses related to the fraud scheme that stole from them. Moreover, it recognizes that not all crimes are discovered at the time that they occur. The bill gives taxpayers more time to amend previous tax returns in order to receive credits and refunds on their losses. I appreciate Representative Miller's tireless efforts to not only combat fraud and punish the bad actors who scam taxpayers but to go the extra mile and find solutions for the victims of such fraud so that they are not penalized by the IRS. Lastly, I must mention the valuable input that our Ways and Means colleagues, Representatives Steube and Panetta, had in crafting this legislation. During its markup, we

Referenced legislation: HR9500, HR9500