Stock Buyback Accountability Act of 2026

Higher buyback tax for corporations

If enacted, this bill would raise the excise tax on corporate stock repurchases from 1% to 4% for repurchases after the date of enactment. If a taxable year includes the enactment date, the bill would prorate the rule by days in that year to split pre-enactment and post-enactment buybacks. The bill would exempt from the 4% tax the portion of a stock's fair market value that is issued or provided to covered employees (as defined in section 162(m)) and to non-employees who receive more than $1,000,000 in remuneration in any taxable year of the covered corporation beginning after December 31, 2025. That exemption would apply only to stock issued in taxable years ending more than 90 days after enactment.