Biggest Trump tax cut benefits for small business owners to keep more income on Main Street

President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill passed over the summer, but the tax benefits have barely begun. Many Main Street businesses stand to gain significantly from new tax law deductions into next year, some key ones as high as 100% of costs.

The favorable tax measures are not all entirely new. Some had been phased out or were going to sunset and now have been resurrected. But there’s so much meat to the bill that small businesses may have missed some significant opportunities for bottom-line savings, according to Jeffrey Kelson, co-leader of EisnerAmper’s National Tax Office.

According to Melanie Lauridsen, vice president of tax policy and advocacy with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, many of the provisions in the bill are particularly favorable to Main Street companies and local economies.

To be sure, there are still some unknowns, given that the Treasury Department and the IRS still have to release multiple regulations and guidance about how the bill is implemented and interpreted. But overall, it’s seen as a boon for small businesses.

Here are a few of the major benefits coming to Main Street:

Business purchase write-offs at 100%

Small businesses that have been mulling the purchase of new computers, machinery or other equipment can deduct 100% of the cost in many cases. “This is a huge jump from the old 40%,” Ken Webster, chief executive of Rocket Legal Professional Services, wrote in an explainer for small businesses. The perk applies to assets bought on or after January 20, 2025. “This means you might already qualify for bigger deductions on recent purchases, so be sure and review your year-to-date equipment purchase records,” Webster wrote.

Most of these write-offs are for new items, but a different tax code provision lets businesses deduct 100% of certain purchases up to $2.5 million for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2024. To take advantage, the item needs to be new to your business, not necessarily brand new, Webster noted. There are also spending limits before the maximum deduction starts to drop.

It’s advisable to speak to a tax advisor on how best to maximize these write-off options and also reap potential state tax advantages, Kelson said.

Big win on R&D deductions

The new law encourages domestic research and development.

As part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, immediate expensing of R&D costs was ended as of 2022, and businesses had to amortize R&D expenses over time, which could have caused them to pay more taxes in a given year. This was particularly hard on small businesses, and especially start-ups in tech niches like software, said Diana Walker, a director with Baker Tilly’s tax practice.

Now, small businesses can immediately deduct 100% of domestic R&D costs incurred after 2024. “This is a huge relief for a lot of taxpayers who were negatively impacted by the TCJA,” Walker said.

Additionally, there are several ways to get credit for previous domestic R&D expenses, including opting to amend previous returns, so small businesses should speak to their tax advisor about which method to choose, even if they’ve already filed their 2024 return, she said.

In 2025, all taxpayers, regardless of their gross receipts, can take advantage of not having to capitalize and amortize domestic R&D. To receive credit for past years, businesses must have gross receipts under $31 million on average from 2022 through 2024 — a bonus for small businesses. “This bill definitely is favorable to small businesses,” Walker said.

A key interest deduction tied to loans

The Big Beautiful Bill revived a more generous calculation for deducting interest, which many small businesses taking on a loan or other forms of debt could benefit from, said Colin Wilhelm, policy analyst in the Washington National Tax Office at Grant Thornton.

Starting with tax years that begin after Dec. 31, 2024, the legislation brings back the EBITDA-based limitation that had previously been scaled back. This allows for higher interest deductions than under the EBIT-based system.

“A lot of small businesses have to take on debt to keep growing. It allows them to deduct that interest and reinvest the savings into the business to keep growing,” Lauridsen said.

‘No tax on tips’ for owners

This provision has received significant press, and the rules are still being written, but it’s worth noting given the potential benefit for certain small businesses that can now deduct up to $25,000 in tips annually through 2028.

Some exceptions to consider: Self-employed individuals can’t deduct more than their net income from the business that earned the tips, according to Rocket Legal’s Webster. Also, individuals with a modified adjusted gross income over $150,000 for individual taxpayers and $300,000 for joint filers can’t take advantage of the deduction.

Wilhelm recommends that businesses attempting to claim this deduction keep careful records of tips. “I think there’s going to be more scrutiny of those records by the IRS,” he said.

Reducing taxable income

The popular Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction is now permanent. This allows sole proprietors, partners and S corporation shareholders to deduct 20% of their business income, with certain exceptions.

The Big Beautiful Bill makes it easier for a larger number of higher-income small business owners to claim this deduction, expanding the income ranges for eligibility starting next year. An eligible business with at least $1,000 in active business income is guaranteed a minimum $400 deduction, which will increase with inflation each year. Certain skilled service businesses, such as health, law and accounting, have income limits for claiming the full deduction.

Employer-provided child care credit tax savings

All businesses providing employee child care are eligible for a tax credit, and there are expanded benefits for small businesses with less than $31 million in gross receipts for 2025, according to a resource guide from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Eligible small businesses can claim up to $600,000 and 50% for expenses. With this added benefit, small businesses should evaluate options for providing or expanding employee child-care benefits or programs, according to the Chamber of Commerce. They should consider coordinating with nearby businesses if pooling is an option.