Middle Class and Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2012 - Makes provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) permanent for taxpayers whose adjusted gross incomes do not exceed a specified base amount (i.e., $200,000 for individual taxpayers and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly). Revises income tax rates to increase to 39.6% the maximum income tax rate for taxpayers whose incomes exceed the base amount.
Makes provisions of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 that reduce the tax rate on dividend and capital gains income for taxpayers whose incomes do not exceed the base amount permanent. Increases to 20% the tax rate on dividend and capital gains income for taxpayers whose incomes are above the base amount.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend for an additional year: (1) the increased Hope Scholarship tax credit (designated as the American Opportunity Tax Credit), (2) the increase in the refundable portion of the child tax credit, (3) the increased percentage of the earned income tax credit for taxpayers with three or more qualifying children, (4) the disregard of tax refunds for purposes of determining eligibility for certain means tested federal programs, (5) the increased exemption from the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for individual taxpayers, and (6) the offset against the AMT for certain nonrefundable personal tax credits.
Extends until December 31, 2013, the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer provisions of EGTRRA.