The Working Families Tax Cuts in Americans’ Own Words

Washington, D.C.— The Working Families Tax Cuts are putting more money in Americans’ pockets and spurring economic growth, as reflected in tax filing season data, business surveys and economic indicators. But the law’s impact goes beyond the numbers. It is reflected in entrepreneurs boosting employee pay, businesses investing in new products and parents saving for their children’s future. “Republicans’ landmark tax legislation has been a phenomenal boost for working Americans,” said U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). “From ‘no tax on tips’ to the permanent small business deduction and beyond, I often hear from Idahoans and people across the country about how the Working Families Tax Cuts are creating new opportunities and allowing them to keep more of what they earn.” Parents, small business owners, farmers and other hardworking Americans are benefiting from the Working Families Tax Cuts. Here is how: “The year before the Working Families Tax Cuts, I actually had to write a check when I filed my taxes. This year, instead of owing money, we received an incredible refund of more than $10,000. That’s money I earned through hard work, often through long overtime hours, and for the first time, it felt like the system recognized that effort instead of punishing us for it.” – Jason Alexander, millwright “Last year, we advocated for the renewal of critical tax provisions for our farm and ranch businesses. Without these provisions, farm families could have seen an increase of nine to 20 percent on their tax bills. We also saw a big win with the estate tax that exempts most farm families. This will help us pass our farms on to the next generation .” – Zippy Duvall, farmer and President of the American Farm Bureau Federation “The 20 percent small business tax deduction has truly assisted our business in a multitude of ways… Because of it, we've been able to create a retirement program for our employees. We've been able to raise their wages, and we've also been able to do enhancements on our property to enhance the customer experience .” – Michael Ervin, Co-founder, Coal River Coffee Company “ The Rural Health Transformation Program… provide[s] a rare opportunity to make meaningful progress on issues that communities, providers and patients have identified for years .” – Heidi Hedberg, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health “Over the past year, the new tax plan has had a real impact on my business. I employ about 400 tipped employees, primarily in salons, and the ‘no tax on tips’ policy has put directly into their paychecks more money—people feel it every single pay period . On the ownership side, the FICA tip credit creates meaningful savings for us. That’s growth capital. It’s enough to support building a new salon each year, and every one of those that we create, there’s about 10 full-time jobs with employees earning $65,000 or more a year.” – Jesse Keyser, small business owner “After the 2017 tax reforms, we increased annual capital spending from about $5 million to nearly $15 million annually, expanded our facilities and added more than 200 quality jobs. Looking ahead, maintaining these policies will help us keep investing in automation, facility upgrades and workforce development, supporting strong wages, benefits and child care for our employees .” – Tom Mangan, President and CEO, Sukup Manufacturing Co. “We had 35 employees in 2025, and I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for making permanent the 20 percent small business tax deduction. It's allowed us to update our equipment, which has led to better employee retention, which has led to a safer crew out on the road ... Also, we were able to start a profit-sharing program that is obviously a huge benefit to our employees.” – Averre Marquis, owner, Asphalt Preservation Company “I feel the effects with a growing boy who, I feel, every single day I have to buy new-sized diapers, new-sized shoes, and more food. He eats more than the FIU football team, it feels like. Those costs grow as they get older… with more money in my pocket, I’m able to do what I can for my son and my growing family. But it’s not just that portion also; it’s the expansion of 529 and the standard deduction . All of those are really felt as a new mom.” – Adriana McLamb, marketing director and mother “The ‘no tax on tips’ provision has made a real difference for many of our employees. One employee shared with me that the additional refund she received allowed her to finally pay off more than $4,000 in high-interest medical debt that she had struggled with for over a year. Another employee told me this was the first year in a long time she did not have to worry about how she would pay an unexpected tax bill while still caring for her children .” – Darcy Michalek, owner, Michalek Properties “ The idea of giving children a financial stake in their future from birth is enticing. Plus , it's a way for parents and educators to teach basic financial literacy concepts early in life … As for me, my two kids are nearly 8 and 3, so they won't qualify for the free $1,000. Even so, I plan to open a Trump Account for each of them…” – Steve Russolillo, news editor and father “The Adoption Tax Credit does not make adoption inexpensive, and it does not remove the emotional weight of the process. But it provides meaningful relief after families have made one of the largest financial commitments of their lives. It tells families like ours that the country recognizes the value of adoption and understands that cost should not be the barrier that prevents a child from joining a permanent, loving family .” – Clark Saunders, high school teacher and father “The expansion of section 529 plans to include skilled trade schools is another big win for the industry. [Associated Builders and Contractors] recently estimated that the construction industry needs to attract 349,000 net new workers in 2026 to meet demand for construction services. Allowing 529 funds to be used for these programs helps the next generation access the education and hands-on training needed to enter the workforce .” – Eric Seidman, Partner, Wouch Maloney & Co. “ The new senior citizen deduction is a tremendous relief and has given us peace of mind—and the freedom to truly enjoy the retirement years we worked so hard for.” – Steve, senior citizen “Much of what we do involves creating new formulas and new processes for our customers, U.S. manufacturers, to become more efficient. In the past, complex R&D tax rules made that investment more difficult, and now we're more certain about investing in research and development. Second, the immediate expensing provision is giving us momentum. It's encouraged us to expand our manufacturing capacity and we're seeing the same from our customers .” – Dan Sweetwood, President, Allied PhotoChemical “Building semi-trailers is a massive operation, and we currently have 38 acres and more than 200,000 square feet of building space, with more than 20 acres planned for future expansions in Fruitland, Idaho. Immediate expensing of both equipment and production facilities lowers the costs of those investments, supporting our ability to continue to invest and create jobs in the community we’ve operated in for more than 50 years .” – Clint Whitehead, President, Western Trailers Click HERE to learn more about the Finance Committee provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts. ###