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The GOP's massive bill would benefit the rich the most -- while hitting the poor

A new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office shows the top 10% of earners in the U.S. would see the biggest gains from the House-passed tax and spending package. Those at the bottom of the income ladder would be worse off.
Saul Loeb
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A new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office shows the top 10% of earners in the U.S. would see the biggest gains from the House-passed tax and spending package. Those at the bottom of the income ladder would be worse off.

The nation's highest-paid workers would be the biggest winners from a massive Republican tax and spending bill, according to a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office.

Middle-income families would see smaller gains while those at the bottom of the income ladder would be worse off.

The non-partisan CBO tried to forecast the combined effects of the more than $3 trillion in tax cuts that are included in the bill, along with about $1 trillion in reduced government spending on programs like Medicaid and food stamps. The bill, which President Trump has strongly championed, passed the House last month and is now being considered by the Senate.

The tax cuts deliver the biggest savings for top earners and more modest gains for those with average incomes, the CBO found. For families making less than about $55,000 a year, the cutbacks in government benefits typically outweigh any tax savings, leaving them with a net loss.

"The changes would not be evenly distributed among households," CBO director Phillip Swagel wrote in a letter to lawmakers. "In general, resources would decrease for households towards the bottom of the income distribution, whereas resources would increase for households in the middle and top of the income distribution."

The biggest winners in the CBO's analysis are families in the top 10% of household income, earning an average of $692,000 a year. On average, they'd see annual savings of about $12,000 or 2.3%.

Middle-income families earning between $86,000 and $107,000 would see average annual savings between $500 and $1,000, or less than 1%. And families on the bottom rungs of the income ladder, earning around $23,000 a year, would see an average loss of $1,600 each year, or 3.9%.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Scott Horsley is NPR's Chief Economics Correspondent. He reports on ups and downs in the national economy as well as fault lines between booming and busting communities.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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