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HR 8299
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Autofill Act of 2026

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a program to populate downloadable tax forms with taxpayer return information.

Introduced Apr 15, 2026

Latest action (Apr 15, 2026) Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Policy area
Issues
Economy & Taxes

Summary

This bill would establish an IRS program allowing taxpayers to download pre-populated federal income tax forms (1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ) that are automatically filled with information the IRS has already received from employers and other sources. The pre-populated forms would be provided in both printable and computer-readable formats suitable for use with tax preparation software, and the IRS would make the information available within 15 days of receiving it. The IRS must establish data download standards and provide a demonstration server by October 31, 2026, and must provide the actual download function on its website by February 15, 2027, with annual updates thereafter. Before downloading a form, taxpayers would be required to acknowledge that they remain responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their tax return and must verify all information provided. The bill requires employers to report wage and self-employment income information to the IRS by January 31 of the following year.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Money behind the sponsor

Top reported contributors to Bill Foster’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.

  • FERMILAB $22,943
  • NULL $18,250
  • BOSTON UNIVERSITY $17,800
  • UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO $17,560
  • NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY $17,476

Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Bill Foster → · Outside spending →

Actions (2)

  1. Apr 15, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. · house
  2. Apr 15, 2026 Introduced in House

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 15, 2026

Mr. Foster (for himself and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a program to populate downloadable tax forms with taxpayer return information.

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 “Autofill Act of 2026”.

SEC. 2. AUTOMATED PARTIALLY PRE-POPULATED TAX RETURNS.

(a) In General.—Chapter 77 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“SEC. 7531. AUTOMATED PARTIALLY PRE-POPULATED TAX RETURNS.

“(a) Establishment of Program.—The Secretary shall establish a program under which taxpayers may download forms relating to the individual income tax returns that are populated with return information reported to the Secretary under chapter 61 and reported to the Secretary pursuant to section 232 of the Social Security Act.

“(b) Requirements Relating to Information.—

“(1) Deadline for making information available.—The Secretary shall make such return information available under the program established under subsection (a) not later than 15 days after the Secretary receives such information.

“(2) Format of information made available.—Return information shall be made available under the program established under subsection (a) in both a printable document file suitable for manual completion and filing and in a computer-readable form suitable for use by automated tax preparation software.

“(c) Autofill Service Deadlines.—

“(1) Standards.—Not later than October 31, 2026, the Secretary shall—

“(A) establish standards for data download to tax preparation software, and

“(B) provide a demonstration server for downloading the partially populated printable document file.

“(2) Tax forms.—Not later than February 15, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall provide on the Secretary’s website a secure function that allows a taxpayer to download, as both a printable document file and in a form suitable for input to automatic tax preparation software, the 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ forms that are populated with information with respect to the taxpayer that is reported under chapter 61 or any other provision of this title under which reporting of information is required.

“(d) Taxpayer Responsibility.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to absolve the taxpayer from full responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of his return of tax.

“(e) Disclaimer.—Before any form can be downloaded under the program established under subsection (a), taxpayer must acknowledge that—

“(1) the taxpayer is responsible for the accuracy of his return, and

“(2) all information provided in the downloadable form under such program needs to be verified.

“(f) Information Provided for Wage and Self Employment Income.— For purposes of subsection (a)—

“(1) Information related to calendar year 2026.—In the case of information relating to wages paid, and amounts of self-employment income, for calendar year 2026 required to be provided to the Commissioner of Social Security under section 205(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(A)), the Commissioner shall, using best efforts, make such information available to the Secretary not later than January 31, 2027.

“(2) Information related to calendar year 2027 and thereafter.—In the case of information relating to wages paid, and amounts of self-employment income, for any calendar year after 2026 required to be provided to the Commissioner of Social Security under section 205(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(A)), the Commissioner shall make such information available to the Secretary not later than the January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year to which such wages and self-employment income relate.”.

(b) Filing Deadline for Information Returns.—Section 6071(b) of such Code is amended to read as follows:

“(b) Information Returns.—Returns made under part III of this subchapter shall be filed on or before January 31 of the year following the calendar year to which such returns relate. Section 6081 shall not apply to returns under such part III.”.

(c) Conforming Amendment to Social Security Act.—Section 205(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: “For purposes of the preceding sentence, the Commissioner shall require that information relating to wages paid, and amounts of self-employment income, be provided to the Commissioner not later than January 31 of the year following the calendar year to which such wages and self- employment income relate.”.

(d) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections for chapter 77 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

“Sec. 7531. Automated partially pre-populated tax returns.”.

(e) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to returns for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. <all>

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