Year-End Business Tax Break Chances Dwindle, With Window Ajar

The no-frills stopgap spending bill cleared by the Senate late Wednesday would extend government funding until early next year—a timeline that puts hopes of enacting a package of business tax breaks paired with enhanced child tax credits on life support.

Delaying movement on a longer-term appropriations package pushes one of the most likely legislative vehicles for a tax measure to 2024. By then, the 2023 filing season would be underway, and changing the tax code after taxpayers begin tabulating what they owe can get tricky.

“It certainly makes the architecture more difficult, but there is an appetite based on the ...