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With the NASE as your advocate, your voice is heard on Capitol Hill concerning an array of issues that affect the self-employed and micro-businesses. This year, the NASE’s legislative focus includes:
Access to Affordable Health Care
Because health care costs continue to rise for micro-businesses, the NASE supports the following proposals to create a fair and level playing field that will allow the
self-employed access to affordable health coverage:
- Self-Employment Tax Deduction on Health Insurance Premiums
The self-employed are not able to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums for
the purposes of self-employment tax. The self-employed are the only business entity
that does not receive a full deduction on health care costs. This inequity causes the
self-employed to pay 15.3% in additional taxes. The NASE is actively advocating for legislation that will bring parity to the self-employed.
- Tax Credits on Health Insurance
The NASE supports tax credits to assist micro-businesses and the self-employed in
purchasing health insurance so that businesses of all sizes are able to afford health coverage for owners and their employees.
- Small-Business Health Plans
The NASE supports the creation of Small-Business Health Plans. These would allow micro-business owners and the self-employed to band together to purchase health insurance. These plans would be offered nationally and regulated by the federal government. Proponents believe that allowing small businesses to arrange their health benefits together will make coverage more affordable.
Tax Equality for Micro-Businesses
The NASE is a committed advocate for the simplification of the tax process for small business. The NASE strongly believes that tax relief and simplification is absolutely necessary for micro-business success; therefore, any tax relief must include favorable provisions for the self-employed and small business. The NASE will focus on:
- Home Office Deduction
The NASE supports simplifying the home office deduction. Current regulations surrounding home office use and deductibility are stringent and convoluted. With the numbers of home-based businesses increasing, it is essential that the home office deduction is simplified and easier to utilize.
- Increased Deduction for Business Meals
An increase in the business meals deduction is essential to the success of NASE Members and the self-employed. NASE Members, such as consultants and independent sales representatives, rely on the business meals deduction as a primary means to promote their products and services.
Independent Contractor Definition
The NASE continues to push for clarification of the definition for independent contractor status for tax purposes so that micro-businesses and the self-employed can easily recognize who is an employee and who is an independent contractor and avoid the costly penalties that can result from incorrect classification.
Social Security Reform
The NASE supports five key principles regarding Social Security Reform:
- Oppose any further payroll tax increases or tax inequities for the self-employed
- Avoid any reduction in promised benefits to current and near retirees
- Maintain a “minimum benefit” safety net for all retirees
- Reduce huge unfunded liabilities of the Social Security system
- Make the Social Security system more financially sound for the long term by pre-funding its obligations rather than relying on ever-increasing taxes
Retirement Security
The NASE supports new initiatives for personal savings and new small-business pension plans that are simpler and more financially attractive.
Tax-Free Internet
The NASE supports encouraging the development of e-commerce by keeping the Internet and telecommunications tax-free.
Federal Small-Business Programs
The NASE is a fervent supporter of federal small-business programs that have a proven track record of efficiently aiding micro-businesses and the self-employed, such as the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, SBA’s Microloan program, Women Business Centers and Small Business Development Centers. We will continue to advocate on behalf of these programs to make certain they receive appropriate budget levels. |
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