Business Band-AidThe 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act offered small doses of relief.

Hailed as a major tax-reform package by both Congress andPresident Clinton, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 promised to makelong-overdue improvements to an ailing tax system. But three yearslater, it's clear the law made only a minor difference forbusinesses.

At least that's the consensus shared by most entrepreneursand tax experts. Perhaps it's because the law is actuallyintended to provide more relief to middle-income parents with kidsthan to entrepreneurs running businesses. It created a special taxcredit for each child parents have under age 16 and currentlyoffers a number of education credits and deductions forcollege-bound kids.