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To the editor:
The 2025 tax year has ended and the Big Beautiful Bill proved to be a big bogus bust. Donald Trump and GOP members of the House Ways and Means Committee promised $1,300 in tax relief from the BBB. Yet, the IRS reported that the average refund increased by a meager $350 over the prior year; ironically, my wife and I spent $25 more than that on groceries this week.
In an attempt to tout the BBB, Trump staged a PR stunt featuring Sharon Simmons, a DoorDash driver who delivered McDonald’s to the White House. Trump awkwardly asked Simmons, “Do you think that men should play in women’s sports?"
She declined to answer and stayed on script replying, “I’m here about tax on tips." That exchange prompted a reporter to ask Simmons if the Whitehouse tipped well; Trump said, “Thank you for reminding me,” handing Simmons a $100 tip.
But, here’s the interesting part of this theatrical performance – Trump told reporters that the BBB saved Simmons $11,000.
In reality, the BBB only allowed her to deduct the $11,000 she made in tips, which Simmons cited as half her 2025 earnings. Tax experts who analyzed Simmons’ situation – a primary breadwinner earning $22,000 (half in pay, half in tips) and lower-earning spouse (due to illness) – determined that the couple likely owed no taxes due to the standard and no-tip deductions.
At most, the BBB saved the Simmonses roughly $1,000. Substantial savings for a low-income family, but nowhere near the $11,000 Trump cited for the TV cameras.
In contrast, Epic Fury (Trump’s military misadventure) cost $750/couple by mid-April in direct war costs and another $200/couple in increased gas and food costs. Any savings the BBB gave the Simmonses (or any American couple) are long gone.
Joseph Cannisi
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Valete
I’m not sure where you’re getting your misinformation from, but it’s definitely not from reliable sources.
I’m an accounting student, and I can confirm that President Trump’s tax policies, enacted on July 4, 2025, benefit senior citizens with a new “bonus” deduction and the permanent extension of earlier tax cuts.
Seniors can deduct $6,000 annually ($12,000 for married couples filing jointly if both are 65+).
This provision, effective from 2025 to 2028, aims to reduce federal income taxes owed on Social Security benefits.
The key benefits for seniors include the $6,000 Senior Bonus Deduction, Permanent TCJA Extensions, Stacked deductions, and Social Security Relief. While not a complete repeal of Social Security taxes, the IRS estimates that 88% of seniors receiving Social Security will owe no federal income tax due to these combined deductions.
"Before you write a letter spreading disinformation, make sure you have the facts!"
Wednesday, April 22 Report this
fcannisi
Hey Word-y, I guess the IRS are spreading misinformation:
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/06/average-tax-refund.html
Wednesday, April 22 Report this
fcannisi
BTW, candidate Trump LIED when he promised to end taxation on Social Security payments. Instead, he provided a temporary $6000 deduction (which disappears once Trump leaves office). The average SS payment is $26,000/year, leaving the remaining $20,000 taxable. At best, a $6K deduction amounts to a few hundred dollars extra in refund. I guess Word-y was absent the day they taught that at accounting school.
For the record, SS payments were tax-free until Reagan "reformed" the tax code.
Wednesday, April 22 Report this
namrogm
AbsurdMan, Cannisi is right in the money saved from Trump’s bill to enrich the wealthy and harm the middle and poorer classes. Who would believe an idiot, Donald Trump, who said injecting detergent could wipe out Covid, or who said he had no idea Iran would ever close the Straits of Hormuz?
Wednesday, April 22 Report this
Valete
Your letter is nothing more than a jumble of fictional stories that have no relevance to the discussion of taxation and economics.
Thursday, April 23 Report this
Valete
Reen’ro! For the record, the IRS does not spread erronoeus income-tax information —you do!
Thursday, April 23 Report this
Valete
I’m not sure why The Chief posts your letters and half-truths on its website, but I’ll clarify the reason Pres. Regan signed the first legislation to tax Social Security benefits.
The Social Security Amendments of 1983 were passed as a bipartisan compromise to address the program's looming financial crisis, a key fact you intentionally omitted in your post. You are inclined to post lies and disinformation because of your blatant political partisanship.
Your incessant lies, disinformation, and political propaganda hinder letter writers who try to address American and foreign politics in a fair and formal literary manner.
Your letters and posts are dull, laughable, and riddled with falsehoods and political bias. You’re greatly mistaken if you think your misinformation campaign has any sway over American voters and politics.
Thursday, April 23 Report this
fcannisi
Actual tax data posted on the IRS WEBSITE:
Return/Refund Category 2025 2026
Total returns received 89,550,000 88,424,000
Total number of refunds 61,577,000 62,957,000
Average refund amount $3,170 $3,521
With nearly 90 million tax returns filed, the difference in average refunds from 2025 (before the OBBBA) to 2026 (with the OBBBA) is $351 - $3,170 vs $3,521. The exact figure reported in the above letter.
Is the IRS a reliable enough source Word-y? Perhaps, Word Man before you spreading disinformation in posts, you should make sure you have the facts.
Thursday, April 23 Report this
krell1349
Add to this to the rising prices we pay for gas because of this insane war that was not thought out, the average American is probably losing money.
Monday, April 27 Report this
fcannisi
I'll repeat a prior comment I made here in case anyone missed it:
It's very apparent that Word Man/Robert Sica exhibits classic symptoms of what psychologists call Projection, a psychological disorder in which the inflicted person, typically a narcissist, projects their shortcomings on other people.
Sica lies, so he accuses everyone else of lying. Sica misunderstands or misconstrues issues like birthright citizenship, so he claims others don't understand such issues. Sica desperately wants recognition for his writing and poetry (which is why he calls himself Word Man and once used the pseudonym J. Donne - a reference to John Donne the noted metaphysical poet), so he insults other people's writing.
As a protection mechanism, Sica spews insults like - little man, stupid, limited understanding, dense etc. - to feel better about his own self esteem problems.
Monday, April 27 Report this
krell1349
Reenjoe, right on point!!! Just like our President!!!!
Tuesday, April 28 Report this