
Every year at about this time Congress starts thinking about what tax laws will expire on December 31, and what it really needs to be doing about these. Of the 65 various tax provisions that will expire, one of the big ones is the annual "Patch" for the Alternative Minimum Tax. Without the Patch, nearly 30 million new taxpayers will wake up on New Year's Day with a lot more than the usual hangover, and the 4 million already in the AMT had better get their checkbooks out for the additional taxes they'll owe. In addition to this one item, however, there are several other extenders that also can have a direct impact on AMT payers....