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By Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks
As a mother, physician, and 24-year Army veteran, I’ve spent my life fighting for Iowa’s working families, and no group deserves our gratitude more than the seniors who built this country. The One Big Beautiful Bill is a direct answer to the concerns I hear every day from older Iowans worried about rising medication prices and shrinking savings.
Under this bill, seniors aged 65 and older will receive a $4,000 tax break beginning later this year, and it’s designed to provide real help where it’s needed most. This benefit is available to individuals earning less than $75,000, or married couples earning less than $150,000. And for those just above the income threshold, the tax break is gradually phased out, so no one is abruptly left out.
Here’s what that means in practical terms: if you’re a retired couple in Iowa living on a combination of Social Security, pensions, or modest IRA withdrawals, you’ll now be able to deduct $4,000 from your taxable income. That could mean hundreds of dollars in annual savings, money that stays in your pocket instead of going to the IRS.
This tax relief comes at a critical time. Seniors have been squeezed by the historic levels of inflation of the last Administration and rising medical costs, while living on fixed incomes. They’ve played by the rules, worked hard, saved what they could, and now, they deserve peace of mind in retirement.
This bill doesn’t offer vague promises. It offers a concrete tax break, built to help seniors pay for medicine, groceries, housing, and family support without fear of financial strain. Whether it’s keeping the heat on in winter or taking a grandchild to the doctor, this is the kind of targeted relief that matters.
With the One Big Beautiful Bill, we’re finally doing what should have been done long ago, delivering real, lasting relief to the Americans who earned it. Iowans have always believed in honoring our elders, and I’m proud to have stood up and voted to advance it through the House.