My Weekly Column: 2026 Tax Season Delivers Real Relief for Iowans
As tax season begins, families across Iowa are taking a closer look at their paychecks, refunds, and household budgets. After years of historic inflation and economic uncertainty, many families have tasked our government with correcting the economic failures of the previous four years. That’s why I am proud to have worked alongside President Trump to deliver meaningful tax relief for working families, seniors, farmers, workers, and small businesses.
As the only member of Congress serving on both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I have worked to ensure our tax code reflects the value of hard work, strengthens our economy, and supports rural America.
President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts prevented a looming 22 percent tax hike that would have hit middle-class households the hardest. Making middle class tax cuts permanent will ensure families keep more of what they earn, allowing them to plan, save, and invest in their futures with confidence. Under these tax cuts, a family of four earning up to $73,000 now pays no federal income tax, and average refunds will increase by as much as $1,000. The Child Tax Credit has also been strengthened to $2,500 per child, helping families better manage groceries, childcare, and education costs. As a father of four, I know firsthand how meaningful that support can be. Here in Iowa, families will save an average of $3,139 on their taxes this year, and, according to the Council of Economic Advisers, wages could rise by as much as $6,100 over the next four years.
This tax relief will be felt by all Americans. We eliminated taxes on tips for four million workers, increasing their take-home pay by an average of $1,300. For the 80 million Americans who work overtime and help keep our economy running, no longer being taxed on overtime adds an average of $1,400 per year. Thanks to President Trump’s pro-growth policies, real wages are projected to rise by $7,200 per worker while supporting 7.2 million American jobs nationwide. In Iowa, these policies are already making a difference: 66,000 jobs are protected over the next four years, and the Rural Health Transformation Program will provide rural communities with a $209 million investment in our health care in its first year, ensuring access to high quality care for all Iowans.
Iowa’s small businesses and manufacturers, the backbone of our economy, will benefit as well. Making the 20 percent small business tax deduction permanent is helping create over one million new jobs and generate $750 billion in economic growth. We also doubled the limit on immediate expensing, restored full and permanent research and development tax credits, and encouraged manufacturing investment here at home. We are seeing the effects here in Iowa as our GDP grew 5% in the second quarter, surpassing the national average, with domestic investment and business growth continuing to strengthen the economy.
As tax season gets underway, I am proud to have worked with President Trump to deliver real relief for Iowans. I will keep fighting to lower costs, reward hard work, and ensure that Iowa families, workers, seniors, and small businesses thrive.