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One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Summary & Tax Reporting Changes You Should Know

One Big Beautiful bill is now a law obba summary & tax reporting changes

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While America celebrated Independence Day, President Donald Trump delivered his own kind of fireworks on July 4, 2025. He signed into law what’s being touted as one of the largest tax and spending bills in U.S. history – the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA).

A cornerstone of the bill? The extension of the 2017 tax cuts was enacted during President Trump’s first term in office. While several of its tax breaks were set to expire at the end of this year, the bill solidifies many provisions.

From reducing the reporting burden on businesses by increasing thresholds to restoration of 100% bonus depreciation and several tax breaks to business owners, the new legislation, OBBBA, is expected to reshape how businesses and individuals manage their money. 

 

What is the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA)?

The sweeping tax and spending bill, officially called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives through a dramatic 218-214 vote. The 870-page spending legislation is President Trump’s signature legislative achievement of his second-term domestic agenda. 

A cornerstone of the bill? The extension of the 2017 tax cuts was enacted during President Trump’s first term in office. While several of its tax breaks were set to expire at the end of this year, the bill solidifies many provisions. 

The legislation was designed as a sweeping reconciliation package that would consolidate multiple priorities into a single bill, including tax relief, border security funding, welfare reform, and federal spending cuts. Beyond the 2017 tax cuts, the bill includes no taxes on tips for workers in the service industry. It imposes curbs on Medicaid and raises the cap on the State and Local Tax Deduction. 

 

Timeline of OBBBA

May 20, 2025: Bill H.R. 1 (OBBBA) introduced and reported by the House Budget Committee

May 22, 2025: Full House debated and passed H.R. 1 by a vote of 215–214, with one present. Sent to Senate. 

June 27, 2025: Received in Senate. Placed on Legislative Calendar. 

June 29–30, 2025: Intense floor debate with numerous amendments proposed. Several points of order were raised, and rulings were made under the Congressional Budget Act. 

July 1, 2025: Final votes on key amendments. Final bill (H.R. 1 with Senate amendment) passed Senate 51–50. Sent back to the House. 

July 3, 2025: The House agreed to the Senate amendment by a vote of 218–214. The bill was presented to the President. 

July 4, 2025: The President signed the bill into law. 

Now, let’s look at how OBBBA becoming a law affects you. Are you a freelancer? A growing startup? A seasoned corporation? Well, your 2025 tax planning just got more interesting. Here’s a breakdown of the OBBBA summary and key tax reporting changes with various effective dates:

 

Higher Thresholds for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC

Good news for businesses that regularly engage independent contractors: The OBBBA significantly raises the reporting threshold for payments made on Forms 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC. 

  • Previously, payers had to report payments of $600 or more. Under the new law, this threshold has been raised to $2,000.
  • Beginning in 2027, the $2,000 threshold will be adjusted annually based on inflation. 
  • The minimum threshold for triggering backup withholding is also revised to $2,000 and will follow inflation adjustments from 2027.


Business Impact:

And who stands to benefit significantly?
It’s the small and mid-sized businesses. This is because
a higher reporting threshold means fewer low-dollar transactions need tracking and reporting. It also lowers the number of incorrect filings and minor mismatches that might attract IRS notices.

  • Fewer forms to file 
  • Simplified tracking 
  • Reduced compliance costs & better resource allocation 
  • Minimize risk of errors & discrepancies 
When will it be implemented?
The new threshold of 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC will be $2,000, effective January 1, 2026.

 

Repeal of 1099-K Threshold

Another major update in the new bill is the rules for reporting payments through third-party networks like PayPal, Venmo, and Etsy, among others. 

Initially (before TY 2021), users only received a Form 1099-K if they earned over $20,000 and had more than 200 transactions. In 2021, under the American Rescue Plan Act, the threshold was lowered to $600 with no transaction limit, but the IRS kept delaying its enforcement. However, the IRS delayed the implementation several times amid concerns over administrative burden and confusion among casual sellers. For 2022 and 2023, the IRS maintained the old $20,000/200 transaction threshold, calling these years transition periods. In 2024, the IRS attempted a gradual rollout, setting the threshold at $5,000, instead of the originally intended $600.

The new law officially restores the $20,000 and 200 transaction thresholds retroactive to 2022. It also applies this standard to backup withholding starting in 2025, preventing tax holds on smaller payments. This change brings much-needed clarity and consistency for gig economy workers, marketplaces, and platforms that process large volumes of small transactions. 

Tax1099 can help you kick-start your tax reporting process online!

 

Other Key Changes

1. 100% Bonus Depreciation Restored

Businesses have another big win! The OBBBA reverses the earlier phase-down of bonus depreciation. This makes 100% expensing available again for eligible business property in service after January 19, 2025.

This means that if a business acquired and placed an eligible asset in use on or after January 20, 2025, they can now deduct its full cost in that first year. Earlier, it would have been subject to the phased-down rate.

Whom does this generally apply to?
New and used tangible personal property with a recovery period of 20 years or less, and qualified improvement property. There’s also a new provision for “Qualified Production Property,” which specifically benefits manufacturing facilities.
 

The upside of all this? It allows businesses immediately write off the full cost of new equipment, reduces taxes, and boosts investment!

 

2. Enhanced Section 179 Deduction Limits

It’s not just bonus depreciation. The new law also gives a big boost to the Section 179 deduction.

Beginning in tax year 2025, the maximum allowable deduction for certain depreciable business assets jumps to $2.5 million. This is a significant jump from the previous $1 million.

The deduction starts to phase out for total qualifying property costs over $4 million, offering a more generous window for businesses to expense their asset purchases upfront.

 

3. Favourable Changes to Interest Deduction Limitation

The OBBBA has restored and made permanent the more generous limits on business interest deductions (based on EBITDA).

Before 2017, businesses could deduct the full amount of interest paid or accrued on valid debt in a tax year. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 limited this deduction to 30% of a taxpayer’s “adjusted taxable income” (ATI).

The new legislation restores the pre-2022 limitation based on Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. 

This change can potentially increase the amount of deductible interest for businesses, particularly those with significant depreciation and amortization. 

 

4. Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) Restrictions 

The bill also cracks down on the controversial pandemic-era tax break, the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). It bans payments for the third and fourth quarters of 2021 if the claim was filed after January 31, 2024.

It also retroactively expands penalties for ERTC-related fraud to March 12, 2020. 

The ERTC was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns to support small businesses in retaining employees. However, according to the IRS, it quickly became a magnet for fraudulent refunds. Going forward, this legislation aims to curb fraudulent tax breaks.

 

5. Immediate Deduction of R&D Expenses

Meanwhile, in a sweet deal for businesses, the new legislation allows immediate deduction of domestic research and development (R&D) costs, beginning January 1, 2025. Earlier, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act mandated companies to capitalize and amortize R&D costs over a period of five years. 

For eligible small businesses, this change is retroactive to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2022. This offers them an opportunity to amend prior returns and recover previously amortized costs. Meanwhile, foreign R&D expenditure is still subject to a 15-year amortization period. 

This means less tax for companies, better cash flow, and more investment to stay ahead and competitive. The move is expected to boost U.S.-based R&D spending and boost innovation.

 

Summary of all the changes affected by OBBBA

Provision Before OBBBA After OBBBA Effective from
Form 1099-NEC Threshold $600 reporting threshold $2,000, adjusted for inflation from 2027  2026 TY
(filed in 2027)
Form 1099-MISC Threshold $600 reporting threshold $2,000, adjusted for inflation from 2027 2026 TY
(filed in 2027)
Form 1099-K Threshold $600 with no transaction limit
(Rule from 2021, implemented in phrase)
 
Restored to $20,000 and 200+ transactions 2024 TY
(filed in 2025)
Bonus Depreciation Phasing down
(60% in 2024, 40% in 2025)
Restored to 100% for the property placed
in service after January 19, 2025
January 20, 2025
Child Tax Credit $1 million cap; phase-out begins at
$2.5 million
Better flexibility for small and mid-size
businesses to expense equipment purchases
Immediate effect

 

Conclusion 

With the OBBBA becoming a law, it’s time for individuals and businesses to examine how its provisions impact tax planning for 2025 and beyond. You might need to switch strategies to seize new opportunities or reduce risks to stay ahead of the curve. 

To understand the further ramifications of the OBBBA, stay updated with Tax1099. If you want to file 1099 forms, Tax1099 is an IRS-authorized eFile provider at your service. We can simplify the filing process and reduce paperwork, so that you are IRS-compliant, audit-ready, and focused on what you do best!

💡 Bonus Thoughts:
Increased Form 1099 thresholds at the Federal level will conflict with state-level tax reporting requirements. Close monitoring is necessary for States that have imposed their own thresholds that are lower than the Federal level or otherwise do not “follow the Fed.”
Therefore, Form 1099 payers need systems in place to perform tax withholding and reporting at a variety of compliance thresholds.