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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Dec 6, 2007
Wrongful Convictions Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow wrongfully incarcerated individuals: (1) an exclusion from gross income for compensation received relating to their incarceration and for the first $50,000 of annual income received by such an individual after release from incarceration; and (2) a refundable tax credit for 50% of payroll taxes on employment and self-employment income, up to $50,000 of such income. Limits the duration of such tax benefits to the lesser of 15 years or the number of years such an individual was incarcerated.
Defines "wrongfully incarcerated individual" as an individual who was convicted of a criminal offense and was then pardoned or found not guilty of such offense because of innocence after serving all or a portion of a prison term. Disqualifies individuals with prior convictions punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.
Requires: (1) the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to report annually to the Secretary of the Treasury on individuals who are wrongfully incarcerated and whose criminal convictions are reversed or vacated; and (2) states to report annually to the Secretary on wrongfully incarcerated individuals.
People & committees
Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] · D–NY
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14850-14851)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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