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Advocate For Self-Employed Argues For Tax Deductions (Yahoo! Small Business Advisor)
Both presidential campaigns say they're best for small business, but Kristie Arslan says neither has backed up the claim with substantive plans. "They've never been specific on any of the priorities for the 21 million self-employed Americans," Arslan, president and CEO of the National Association for the Self Employed, wrote in the Huffington Post on Friday.
Arslan challenged both candidates to respond to three of her organization's requests for specific tax deductions for the self-employed:
1. Will you support the permanent, full deduction of health insurance premiums for the self-employed so that the self-employed will no longer pay annually, on average, nearly $1,800 in additional taxes than other business owners?
2. Will you support legislation to make the tax deduction for startup expenses permanent, instead of letting the provision expire at the end of this year?
3. Will you support legislation to simplify the home office deduction for home-based businesses, by allowing the option of a standard $1,500 deduction for home office expenses?
The column followed Arslan's July 31 submission of a letter on behalf of NASE to the House Ways & Means Committee requesting a hearing on America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2012. Representatives Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced the bill, H.R. 6102, earlier last month.
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