Peach Tree Times

The Washington Times recently featured an op-ed by Alison Couch, president of Ignite Accounting & Business Advisor, based in Columbia County, Georgia. Couch is a member of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and advocates for making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent while reducing regulatory burdens on small businesses.

In her op-ed, Couch states: “I have practiced public accounting for 21 years and can tell you without doubt that the 20% Small Business Deduction has been the single most beneficial tax deduction for small business owners." She emphasizes the importance of this deduction to various small businesses, describing them as "the real heartbeat of the American economy."

Couch expresses concern about parts of the 2017 tax cuts expiring at the end of this year, highlighting uncertainty among her clients regarding provisions they rely on. "The tax burden on small businesses is already incredibly heavy and allowing the Small Business Deduction to lapse would not feel like a sunset, but like a tax increase," she writes.

On January 14th, Couch testified before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee during a hearing titled “Hearing on The Need to Make Permanent the Trump Tax Cuts for Working Families.” She discussed how the 20% Small Business Deduction benefits Main Street businesses similar to hers.

This deduction was introduced as part of the 2017 tax law to provide equity between small businesses and larger corporations. Without congressional action, taxes could rise for over 30 million small businesses by the end of 2025. The Main Street Tax Certainty Act aims to make this deduction permanent, preventing significant tax increases for many American small businesses.

Read more in Couch's full op-ed available online.