Finance

No Tax on Overtime Deduction Calculator (2026)

Estimate your 2026 'No Tax on Overtime' deduction under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: up to $12,500 ($25,000 married) of qualified overtime premium, with the $150k/$300k MAGI phase-out and your federal tax savings.

  • Data verified · July 2026
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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) created a temporary 'No Tax on Overtime' deduction for tax years 2025 through 2028. It lets eligible workers deduct part of their overtime pay from federal income tax — but there is a catch most headlines skip: only the premium portion qualifies, not your entire overtime paycheck.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime is paid at 1.5× your regular rate. Only the extra 'half' — the amount above your normal hourly rate — is the qualified overtime premium the law lets you deduct. If you earn $30/hour and get $45/hour for overtime, the deductible premium is the $15, not the full $45.

Enter your qualified overtime premium for the year, your filing status, and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). This tool applies the $12,500 / $25,000 cap, the $150,000 / $300,000 phase-out, and estimates the federal income tax you would save. This is different from an overtime-pay-calculator, which figures your time-and-a-half gross pay.

When to use this calculator

  • See how much of your 2026 overtime you can actually deduct.
  • Convert your time-and-a-half overtime into the deductible 'premium' portion.
  • Estimate the federal income tax the deduction saves you.
  • Check whether your income phases out the deduction.
  • Compare the deduction cap for single vs married filing jointly.
  • Plan withholding for a year with heavy overtime.
  • Understand why only the FLSA premium (not all OT pay) qualifies.
  • Confirm you still owe payroll and state tax on overtime.

Maximum 2026 overtime deduction by MAGI (single filer)

MAGIPhase-out reductionMax deduction remaining
$150,000 or less$0$12,500
$175,000$2,500$10,000
$200,000$5,000$7,500
$250,000$10,000$2,500
$275,000 or more$12,500+$0

Source: IRS OBBBA overtime deduction (2025-2028). Reduction is $100 per $1,000 of MAGI over $150,000 (single) / $300,000 (married filing jointly). Cap is the qualified premium, not total overtime pay.

How it works

What actually qualifies

Qualified premium = overtime pay − (hours × your regular rate)
                  = the FLSA 'half' above your normal rate
Deduction cap     = $12,500 single / $25,000 married filing jointly
Phase-out         = −$100 of deduction per $1,000 of MAGI over the threshold
Threshold         = $150,000 single / $300,000 married filing jointly

If your W-2 reports total overtime wages at time-and-a-half, the premium is one-third of that number (because $45 of the example is $30 base + $15 premium; the premium is 1/3 of $45). For 2026, employers may report your qualified overtime in Box 12 of the W-2 with code 'TT.'

The phase-out, step by step

The deduction drops $100 for every $1,000 your MAGI exceeds the threshold (that is 10% of the excess). A single filer with $160,000 MAGI is $10,000 over $150,000, so the deduction is cut by $1,000.

MAGI (single)ReductionMax deduction left
$150,000 or less$0$12,500
$160,000$1,000$11,500
$200,000$5,000$7,500
$275,000$12,500$0 (fully phased out)

What it does NOT remove

This is an income-tax deduction only. Overtime pay is still subject to:

  • Social Security tax (6.2%) up to the wage base,

  • Medicare tax (1.45%),

  • and any state and local income tax.
  • Who can claim it

  • Available to workers who receive FLSA-required overtime (generally non-exempt, hourly-type roles).

  • You can claim it whether or not you itemize (it is an above-the-line-style deduction).

  • If married, you must file jointly to claim it.

  • Valid for tax years 2025–2028 unless Congress extends it.
  • Disclaimer

    Educational estimate of a federal deduction. Marginal-rate savings are approximate and depend on your full return. It does not model state tax, credits, or interactions with other deductions. Confirm your qualified overtime figure (W-2 Box 12, code TT) and consult the IRS or a tax professional.

    Example: $10,000 of overtime premium, single, $60,000 MAGI

    Qualified premium $10,000 is below the $12,500 single cap, so all $10,000 counts.
    MAGI $60,000 is below the $150,000 phase-out, so there is no reduction.
    Deduction = $10,000.
    At a 12% marginal rate, that saves about $1,200 in federal income tax.
    Deduction $10,000; about $1,200 in federal tax saved

    Frequently asked questions

    Is all of my overtime pay tax-free in 2026?
    No. Only the premium portion — the extra 'half' above your regular rate that the FLSA requires — is deductible, and only up to $12,500 (single) or $25,000 (married filing jointly). Your base wages for those hours are still fully taxable, and overtime still owes Social Security and Medicare tax.
    How do I find my 'qualified overtime premium'?
    It is the amount paid above your regular hourly rate for FLSA overtime. If you earn time-and-a-half, the premium is one-third of the overtime wages shown on your check. For 2026, employers may report it in Box 12 of your W-2 with code 'TT.'
    What is the income limit for the overtime deduction?
    It begins to phase out when modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $150,000 (single) or $300,000 (married filing jointly). The deduction falls $100 for every $1,000 over the threshold and reaches zero around $275,000 (single) or $550,000 (joint).
    Do I still pay Social Security and Medicare on overtime?
    Yes. The deduction only removes federal income tax on the qualified premium. Payroll taxes (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare) and any state income tax still apply to your overtime pay in full.
    Can I claim it if I take the standard deduction?
    Yes. The overtime deduction is available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. It is claimed separately as an above-the-line-style deduction on your return.
    Which years does the deduction apply to?
    It is temporary: tax years 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. Unless Congress extends the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provision, it expires after 2028.
    Do married couples have to file jointly?
    Yes. If you are married, you and your spouse must file a joint return to claim the overtime deduction. Married filing separately cannot take it.
    How is this different from an overtime pay calculator?
    An overtime pay calculator figures your gross time-and-a-half wages. This tool figures the tax deduction on the premium portion of that overtime under the OBBBA — a different question about your tax return, not your paycheck.

    Methodology & trust

    Editorial

    Finance calculator with its formula verified automatically against IRS — Questions and answers about the new deduction for qualified overtime compensation, per our editorial policy and methodology.

    Updates

    Updated: July 2026. Parameters are verified periodically against the cited sources.

    Privacy

    Calculations run 100% in your browser. We do not store or transmit your data.

    Limitations

    Indicative results. For critical decisions, consult a professional.

    📌 How to cite this calculator

    Rodríguez, M. (2026). No Tax on Overtime Deduction Calculator (2026). Hacé Cuentas. https://hacecuentas.com/en/no-tax-on-overtime-deduction-calculator

    Content licensed under CC-BY 4.0 — reuse it citing the source with a link to Hacé Cuentas.

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