A new poll released today by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Illinois’ leading small business advocacy organization, shows broad, bipartisan support for America’s small businesses along with overwhelming support for keeping the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction in the tax code.

According to the survey, more than 8 in 10 Americans feel it is important for the federal government to support small businesses, including strong majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. That support translates to strong agreement (93%) that making the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent should be a top priority for Congress, with nearly all Americans (95%) expressing some concern about the impact an expiration of the deduction would have.

View the slide deck for the new poll HERE.

“This research reinforces the high stakes of this Congressional tax debate,” said NFIB President Brad Close. “Americans recognize the immense value of the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction and are concerned about the devastating consequences should Congress fail to act. NFIB strongly urges Congress to make the deduction permanent and deliver the certainty that small businesses need to continue to grow, hire, and give back to their communities.”

“Illinoisans understand that small businesses are the backbone of our communities, driving local economic growth and investments,” said NFIB Illinois State Director Noah Finley. “Making the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent is critical for Main Street businesses across the state.”

Key findings from the nationwide poll include:

Americans overwhelmingly support small businesses.

• 83% of respondents said that it was important for the federal government to support small businesses. 45% believed that supporting small businesses was extremely important.
• More than two-thirds of Republicans (83%), Democrats (86%) and Independents (79%) said that federal support for small businesses was important.
• Nearly eight-in-ten (79%) want to see more support for small businesses.

Americans support the expiring 20% Small Business Tax Deduction that was included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

• 62% of respondents want to keep the Small Business Tax Deduction in the tax code while only one in five supports letting it expire.
• 77% agree that the Small Business Tax Deduction helps level the playing field for small businesses by keeping their tax rates closer to those of larger corporations.

Americans believe that the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction has helped small businesses and the American economy.

• 91% of Americans agree that small businesses rely on the Small Business Tax Deduction.
• 79% of Americans believe the Small Business Tax Deduction has a positive impact on the economy overall.
• 75% of Americans believe the Small Business Tax Deduction has a positive impact on the local economy where they live.
• 51% of Americans are extremely or very concerned about the impact on the economy if the Small Business Tax Deduction expires. Nearly all Americans (95%) express some concern about the impact an expiration of the deduction would have.

The 20% Small Business Deduction was established under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) to level the playing field between small businesses and their large, corporate competitors. However, this vital deduction is set to expire at the end of 2025. Without Congressional action 9 out of 10 small businesses will be hit with a massive tax hike, decimating their ability to expand business operations and raise wages for employees.

Methodology

The N=2000 online representatively sampled survey of American voters was commissioned by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and facilitated by Seven Letter Insight.  The survey contained a key oversample of n=500 small business owners.  This oversample was weighted back to proportional representation within the total responses. The survey was conducted from March 21, 2025, to March 25, 2025, and has a margin of error of +/-2.0%