At a rally with Senator Bernie Sanders in 2025, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed denounced the Trump‑era tax cuts as a windfall for the rich. Yet filings with the Internal Revenue Service reveal that he and his wife, psychiatrist Sarah Jukaku, claimed a qualified‑business‑income deduction of $26,171 on their 2025 return – a benefit created by the very legislation he attacked.
How the deduction works
The deduction stems from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and was made permanent by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. It allows owners of pass‑through entities, such as limited‑liability companies, to reduce taxable income by 20 % of their business earnings.
El‑Sayed reported $167,000 of income from AME Higher LLC, his consulting and speaking firm, in a Senate financial disclosure covering 2025 and early 2026. His wife’s practice, Mind Work Psychiatry, is also structured as an LLC. The couple’s tax return listed $292,881 in “additional income”, which includes these pass‑through earnings. Applying the deduction saved them roughly $6,000 in tax.
Financial profile
The 2025 return shows total income of $686,069, placing El‑Sayed above the $611,500 threshold that defines the top 1 % of Michigan households, according to IRS data reported by Axios. Capital gains accounted for $262,000 – more than 40 % of his income – while wages contributed 19 %. By contrast, a Tax Foundation analysis of 2021 data found that over 60 % of the average American’s income came from wages.
Public statements versus private filings
In a March 2025 interview with broadcaster Laura Flanders, El‑Sayed argued that the tax law favoured “folks who don't really need more money”. He added that billionaires were “They're gutting it for pennies on the dollar to pass tax cuts for the wealthy,” reflecting his opposition to the legislation.
When pressed by his primary opponent, Representative Haley Stevens, to disclose his tax return, El‑Sayed released the first two pages in July 2025, describing them as “standard” and “mundane.” The documents highlighted his reliance on investment income, a point that has become a focal issue in the campaign.
Policy positions and further scrutiny
El‑Sayed continues to champion “Medicare for All” while his wife’s private psychiatry practice does not accept insurance, drawing criticism from opponents. He has previously condemned doctors who refuse Medicaid, calling such refusals discrimination against “black communities.”
First reported by the source report.