A. The chances are getting lower as the year goes on. Some in
Congress wanted to tie this provision to the extension of the
two-percentage-point reduction in the employees’ share of Social Security tax,
but it was stripped from the final package. On the good side I would imagine
that other provisions that lapsed after 2011will be reinstated retroactively in
a lame-duck session, including direct payouts from IRAs to charity, higher AMT
exemptions and the write-off for state sales taxes. Who knows what they
will do in Washington.
