A new tax break aimed at seniors may lighten the load on retirees’ Social Security income, but it’s not as sweeping or permanent as some headlines suggest. Tucked inside the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4,

Many middle-class and wealthy families will see benefits from the new legislation, but programs that help low-income families keep babies healthy have been cut back.

The law does far more than extend the individual tax cuts of President Trump’s 2017 tax law, which were set to expire at year-end. The new law makes some provisions of the 2017 version permanent, adds new tax cuts and eliminates others.