In February 2011 United States Senator Mark Pryor (Democrat, Arkansas) introduced legislation that would give angel investors in qualifying small businesses a federal income tax credit equal to 25% of the amount invested. (SB 256, known as “The American Opportunity Act”, available here: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.256:).

The Bill would be very advantageous to the angel investment and startup business community where I believe it has broad support.

In late February, SB 256 was referred to the US Senate Committee on Finance where it may have a difficult time competing for attention with other similar pending tax incentive bills. The investment and business community needs to create momentum for this bill to pass.