The PHIT Act of 2025 allows taxpayers to deduct certain fitness-related expenses as medical costs on their federal tax returns. It directly affects individuals and families who pay for qualifying physical activity programs, such as gym memberships, fitness classes, or approved equipment. Key provisions include setting annual limits ($1,000 per person or $2,000 for joint returns), defining eligible fitness facilities (excluding golf courses or private clubs), and specifying that equipment must be used exclusively for physical activity. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat these expenses as deductible medical costs, effective for taxable years after its enactment.
This bill changes how married couples filing jointly can deduct student loan interest on their federal taxes. Currently, the deduction limit of $2,500 applies to the household as a whole. The bill would amend the tax code to apply the $2,500 limit separately to each spouse, meaning both partners could each deduct up to $2,500 in interest. This directly affects married couples with student loans who file jointly, providing them with a larger potential tax benefit. The change takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
This bill would increase the Social Security tax wage base to $400,000, meaning income above this threshold would no longer be subject to Social Security tax. It would also impose a new 1.2% tax on wages exceeding $400,000 (with $500,000 for joint returns and $250,000 for married filing separately), and modify the net investment income tax to include a 13.6% additional tax on income above these thresholds. The bill would direct 71.3% of these new taxes to the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, 10.3% to the Disability Insurance Trust Fund, and 28.7% to the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund. These changes would apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
HR 4304, the FAIR Bet Act, amends the tax code to allow gamblers to deduct 100% of their wagering losses instead of the current 90% limit. This change directly affects individuals who report gambling losses on their federal income tax returns. The key provision modifies Section 165(d) of the Internal Revenue Code to remove the 90% restriction on deducting gambling losses. The bill does not alter how gambling winnings are taxed, only the deduction available for losses.
This bill creates a tax incentive for U.S. corporations to distribute company stock to employees. To qualify, corporations must have 500+ full-time U.S. employees, be U.S.-domiciled, and meet specific share distribution requirements (e.g., distributing at least 1% of shares to employees or maintaining a 5% "SHARE ratio" of shares granted). Eligible corporations receive a 3% reduction in corporate income tax and can deduct the fair market value of distributed stock. Employee stock received under these plans is excluded from taxable income, directly benefiting workers at qualifying companies while lowering tax liability for the corporations.
HR 5019, the CEO Accountability and Responsibility Act, would require publicly traded corporations to pay higher federal income taxes based on their CEO-to-median-employee pay ratio. Specifically, corporations with a ratio exceeding 100:1 would face incremental tax rate increases (up to 3 percentage points for ratios over 400:1), with additional tax hikes if they reduce U.S. full-time staff while increasing contracted or foreign workers. The bill also directs federal agencies to prioritize contracting with companies maintaining a pay ratio below 50:1. These provisions directly affect publicly traded corporations subject to U.S. income tax, altering their tax liability based on pay equity metrics rather than revenue or profits.
HR 5382, the Health CARE Training Act, requires health profession opportunity grant programs to provide participants with training hours matching their state's certification standards (or a comparable amount if no standard exists). It directly affects individuals training for healthcare jobs through these federal grant programs. The bill's key provision excludes cash stipends and emergency assistance paid under these programs from federal income tax, meaning recipients won’t pay taxes on these payments. The training requirement and tax exclusion both take effect on October 1, 2025.
This bill excludes reimbursements received by individuals for cleaning up PFAS contamination from their taxable income under the federal tax code. It directly affects people who were paid back for remediation costs related to "forever chemicals" (PFAS) in their property. The key provision adds a new tax code section (139M) to ensure these specific reimbursements are not counted as income, reducing tax liability for affected individuals. The rule applies to reimbursements received in tax years starting after December 31, 2020.
HR 6645, the Working Families Disaster Tax Relief Act, allows individuals affected by federally declared disasters to use their *previous year's income* to qualify for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Credit. This helps families who lost income due to a disaster (like a hurricane or wildfire) but would qualify for tax credits if their income from the prior year was used instead. The bill amends tax code sections to create a simple election process for "disaster-affected taxpayers" - defined as those whose home or workplace was in a declared disaster zone during the disaster period. It applies to tax years starting after December 31, 2024, and does not change the credit amounts, only the income calculation method for affected individuals.
This bill creates a tax deduction for certain reported cash tips received by workers in occupations that traditionally rely on tips, such as servers and bartenders. It allows a deduction of up to $35,000 per year for tips reported to employers (e.g., via Form 4137), but phases out for individuals earning over $50,000 annually (single) or $100,000 (joint). The deduction requires a Social Security number and applies only to taxable years starting in 2026 through 2028, with a Treasury pilot program to evaluate extending it permanently. It excludes tips from occupations not traditionally tip-based and mandates annual reviews of living wage thresholds.
