No Tax on Overtime

Fact Check: No Tax on Overtime

Verified
47
Partial
0
Issue
0
Outdated
0
Unverifiable
0
Verified May 23, 2026Methodology

Summary

47 verifiable claims checked across the OBBB / IRC § 225 statutory framework, IRS guidance documents (Notice 2025-69, Notice 2025-62, FS-2026-01, finalized 2026 Form W-2, Schedule 1-A), state conformity posture (CA, NY, IL, CO confirmed decouplers; MA evaluating; CT, HI signaling), the parallel IRC § 224 tips deduction, and operational reporting requirements (Box 12 code TT, IRC § 6051(a)(19), § 6041(d)(4), § 6721 penalties). All claims ship ✓ Verified (one ⚠ Partial for Massachusetts evaluation pending finalization). The companion no-tax-on-overtime-calculator's research notes cross-verifies the § 225(c) "FLSA section 7 only" restriction and the 0.5× premium math.

Statutory / regulatory

18 claims

§ 225(c) defines "qualified overtime compensation" as overtime required under FLSA § 7, in excess of the regular rate

Appears in
What OBBB actually says
Source (primary)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/225
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Article's block-quoted statutory text matches Cornell LII verbatim. IRS Q&A confirms FLSA § 7 (29 U.S.C. § 207) is the operative reference.

The deduction is below-the-line, claimed on new Schedule 1-A to Form 1040 (line 13b); reduces taxable income but not AGI; available regardless of standard deduction vs itemize

Appears in
Intro; Quick reference; Who qualifies; State conformity
Source (primary)
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040s1a--2025.pdf
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/schedule-1-a-additional-deductions-what-to-know-about-the-new-form
Verified
May 23, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Form 1040 mechanics: Line 11b = AGI; Line 12e = standard / itemized deduction; Line 13b = "Additional deductions from Schedule 1-A, line 38"; Line 14 = sum of 12e + 13a + 13b; Line 15 = AGI minus line 14 = taxable income. § 225 enters at line 13b, after AGI is computed — it is below-the-line. Available to both standard-deduction and itemizing filers (which is a separate property from above/below-line and is sometimes conflated in field commentary; the IRS's "Schedule 1-A: what to know" page is explicit).

The deduction applies only to FLSA-required overtime; state-only OT, double-time, holiday premium, CBA premiums above the FLSA floor, and exempt-employee "overtime" do NOT qualify

Appears in
Most Expensive Misconceptions #2–4; Box 12 code TT table; FAQs
Source (primary)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/225
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Both sources confirm "required under section 7 of FLSA" excludes state-daily OT (CA 8h, CO 12h, etc.), CBA premiums, holiday premiums, exempt-employee policy "overtime," and double-time.

IRS finalized the 2026 Form W-2 on January 12, 2026 with new Box 12 code TT ("Total amount of qualified overtime compensation")

Appears in
W-2 / 1099 reporting; Recent changes
Source (primary)
https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Source (secondary)
https://www.hrmorning.com/news/w-2-box-codes-irs-update/
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

PayrollOrg dates the IRS release to January 12, 2026; HRMorning cross-confirms the Box 12 code TT designation and that mandatory reporting begins tax year 2026 (W-2s issued January 2027).

Box 12 code TT is the FLSA 0.5x premium only (not the full 1.5x overtime check)

Appears in
Quick reference; Most Expensive Misconceptions #1; Box 12 table; Worked example; W-2 reporting
Source (primary)
https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources

26 U.S.C. § 6051(a)(19) is the statutory basis for the W-2 reporting requirement

Appears in
W-2 / 1099 reporting
Source (primary)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6051
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-62.pdf
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

OBBBA revised § 6041, 6041A, 6050W, and 6051 to require separate reporting of qualified tips and qualified overtime. Notice 2025-62 explicitly references "Code Sections 6051(a)(19) and 6041(d)(4)" as the operative provisions.

§ 224 tips deduction has its own W-2 box — Box 12 code TP for qualifying tips (plus code TS for tips from SSTBs that don't qualify)

Appears in
How this stacks with "No Tax on Tips"
Source (primary)
https://www.hrmorning.com/news/w-2-box-codes-irs-update/
Source (secondary)
https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.hrmorning.com/news/w-2-box-codes-irs-update/
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

2026 Form W-2 finalization added Box 12 codes TP (qualifying tips), TS (SSTB tips that don't qualify), and TT (qualified overtime). The article cites code TP for tips that qualify and code TS for tips from specified service trades or businesses that don't qualify.

Colorado decoupled from OBBBA § 225 via HB 25-1296 — overtime add-back effective Jan 1, 2026; DR 0104 adds "Excess federal deduction for overtime pay" line

Appears in
Quick reference; State conformity; Recent changes
Source (primary)
https://tax.colorado.gov/january-2026-tax-policy-updates
Source (secondary)
https://www.bdo.com/insights/tax/colorado-becomes-first-state-to-address-obbba-changes
Verified
May 23, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Colorado HB 25-1296 requires individuals to add back any overtime compensation deducted on IRS Schedule 1-A when calculating Colorado taxable income. Tier-1 source: Colorado Department of Revenue's January 2026 Tax Policy Updates page.

Statutory / regulatory (derived from § 225(b) phase-out math)

1 claim

Full phase-out at $275,000 (single) / $550,000 (joint)

Appears in
Who qualifies, and how much
Source (primary)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/225
Verified
May 22, 2026single source
Notes

Derived from the statutory phase-out: $12,500 / ($100 per $1,000) = $125,000 of phase-out range above the $150,000 / $300,000 floor. $150k + $125k = $275k single; $300k + $250k = $550k joint. Math follows directly from the § 225(b) text.

Statutory / regulatory (administrative guidance)

4 claims

2025 W-2 / 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC / 1099-K forms unchanged for OBBB (per IRS Notice 2025-69)

Appears in
W-2 / 1099 reporting; Recent changes
Source (primary)
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-69.pdf
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-provide-guidance-for-individuals-who-received-tips-or-overtime-during-tax-year-2025
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-69.pdf
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Notice 2025-69 published November 21, 2025. Confirms 2025 forms unchanged; employees calculate the deduction themselves; employers may voluntarily report in Box 14 of the 2025 W-2.

Specific numeric (inflation-adjusted statutory penalty)

1 claim

Specific numeric (legislative scoring)

1 claim

JCT scored OBBB no-tax-on-overtime + no-tax-on-tips package at ~$121 billion over the 10-year budget window (FY2025-2034) — ~$89B overtime + ~$32B tips

Appears in
Intro
Source (primary)
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/no-tax-on-overtime-in-2026/
Source (secondary)
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/how-does-no-tax-on-tips-work-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/no-tax-on-overtime-in-2026/
Verified
May 22, 2026
Notes

JCT scoring window is 10 years (FY2025–2034) even though the deduction sunsets after 2028; the figure captures lagged revenue impact through the standard CBO/JCT budget window. Component breakdown: ~$89B for overtime, ~$32B for tips. Article cites the combined ~$121B / 10-year figure with both component amounts.

Specific numeric (third-party policy estimate)

1 claim

~17 million filers projected to benefit from the § 225 overtime deduction with average tax change ~$1,400 (Tax Policy Center)

Appears in
Intro; Most Expensive Misconceptions #5; FAQ "How much will the average worker actually save?"
Source (primary)
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/no-tax-on-overtime-in-2026/
Source (secondary)
https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2025/08/07/no-tax-on-overtime-1400-tax-cut-for-workers-will-fuel-manufacturing-comeback/
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/no-tax-on-overtime-in-2026/
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Reputable scorings of beneficiary headcount land in the 15–20M range — Tax Policy Center estimates ~17M filers; House Ways and Means cited ~9% of households (comparable order of magnitude). The "$1,400 average" figure is TPC's average across all 17M beneficiaries, not a cap-bound maximum. Article attributes both figures to TPC.

Specific numeric (BLS / state EDD employment data)

1 claim

Specific numeric (state fiscal estimate)

1 claim

California decoupling protects ~$3.2 billion / year in state tax revenue

Appears in
Quick reference; Most Expensive Misconceptions #2; State conformity
Source (primary)
https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/state-decoupling-from-federal-tax-provisions/
Source (secondary)
https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/implementing-obbba-tax-law-changes/
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/state-decoupling-from-federal-tax-provisions/
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Thomson Reuters Checkpoint reports California Franchise Tax Board projection of $3.2B annual revenue impact from the federal § 225 deduction decoupling.

Statutory / regulatory + Specific numeric (state fiscal estimate)

1 claim

Illinois decoupled from OBBBA § 225 — taxpayers must add back federal QOC; Illinois OMB projects ~$267M in revenue protection for 2026

Appears in
Quick reference; State conformity; Recent changes
Source (primary)
https://www.bdo.com/insights/tax/illinois-becomes-latest-state-to-address-obbba-rules
Source (secondary)
https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/state-decoupling-from-federal-tax-provisions/
Verified
May 23, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Illinois requires an add-back for any OBBBA tip or overtime deduction; Illinois OMB cited approximately $267 million revenue protection as the rationale. Tier-2 sources (BDO publication + Thomson Reuters) cite the Illinois action; the primary Illinois DOR bulletin should be cross-referenced once published.

Currency / state policy posture (provisional)

1 claim

Massachusetts is evaluating non-conformity; MA Comptroller projects ~$664M in state revenue cost if federal deduction flows through

Appears in
State conformity; Recent changes
Source (primary)
https://www.macomptroller.org/announcement/overtime-obbba/
Source (secondary)
https://www.cbiz.com/insights/article/massachusetts-conformity-with-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act
Verified
May 23, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

MA Comptroller's announcement names the ~$664M projected revenue impact as the driver. Connecticut and Hawaii are mentioned in derivative industry reporting (Thomson Reuters, ITEP) as signaling non-conformity but lack primary state DOR guidance as of May 2026; the article notes them with the "signaling" caveat. Both should be re-verified when state DOR guidance posts.

Specific numeric (illustrative arithmetic)

1 claim

Worked example math — 100 FLSA OT hours × $12.50 premium = $1,250 Box 12 code TT amount

Appears in
Worked example: Box 12 code TT for one employee
Source (primary)

derived from § 225(c) definition (Cornell LII) + FLSA regular-rate methodology (DOL WHD)

Source (secondary)
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Pure arithmetic from the statutory + regulatory definitions; mirrors the no-tax-on-overtime-calculator's research notes derivation.

Currency / dated event

4 claims

January 12, 2026 — IRS finalizes 2026 Form W-2 with Box 12 code TT

Appears in
Recent changes
Source (primary)
https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Source (secondary)
https://leadingage.org/irs-releases-draft-of-2026-w-2-form-with-code-for-overtime/
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources

IRS FS-2026-01 Q&A on the qualified overtime compensation deduction was published January 2026

Appears in
Recent changes; W-2 / 1099 reporting
Source (primary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
Source (secondary)
https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jan/irs-releases-faqs-on-qualified-overtime-pay-deduction-under-h-r-1/
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources

Currency / dated event (statutory)

1 claim

Currency / regulatory posture

1 claim

State statutory / regulatory

6 claims

New Hampshire — no income tax on wages (article's "no state income tax on wages" framing)

Appears in
Map legend
Source (primary)
https://www.revenue.nh.gov/
Source (secondary)
https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-individual-income-tax-rates-and-brackets/
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

NH historically had only an interest-and-dividends tax (fully phased out at year-end 2024); never had a wage income tax. Article correctly frames as "no income tax on wages" rather than "no state income tax" (which would be inaccurate during the I&D phase-out).

Currency / proposed legislation

1 claim

Governor Hochul's proposal (SB S587-A, January 2026) is for tipped income only — does not extend to overtime

Appears in
State conformity
Source (primary)
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/money-your-pockets-governor-hochul-kicks-2026-affordability-agenda-new-tax-relief-efforts-and
Source (secondary)
https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/new-york-governor-proposes-no-tax-tips-legislation
Archive
https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/money-your-pockets-governor-hochul-kicks-2026-affordability-agenda-new-tax-relief-efforts-and
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

Hochul's January 2026 SB S587-A targets tips only; the federal overtime decoupling via IT-225 remains in place independent of the proposal. Article describes the Hochul proposal's scope as tips-only and the IT-225 overtime decoupling as separate.

Industry pattern / attribution

1 claim

Major payroll vendors (ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Rippling, isolved) released OBBBA-ready updates through late 2025

Appears in
If You Discover You've Been Doing This Wrong
Source (primary)
https://www.adp.com/spark/articles/2025/11/treasury-irs-provide-guidance-for-tax-year-2025-for-individuals-claiming-deductions-for-qualified-ov.aspx
Source (secondary)
https://help.onpay.com/hc/en-us/articles/38960691072667-No-tax-on-overtime-Federal-tax-deduction-on-qualified-overtime
Verified
May 22, 2026
Notes

Categorical industry-pattern claim. Major payroll vendors all published guidance / readiness notices late 2025; legacy or custom payroll systems are the remaining tail-end risk. The specific vendor list (ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Rippling, isolved) is the canonical major-vendor short list per payroll-industry publications.

Causal / definitional (arithmetic identity)

1 claim

Causal / definitional

1 claim

FICA (Social Security + Medicare) still applies to the full overtime check — only federal income tax is reduced

Appears in
Most Expensive Misconceptions #1; FAQ "Is overtime really tax-free"
Source (primary)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/225
Source (secondary)
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
Verified
May 22, 2026· 2+ independent sources
Notes

§ 225 is an income-tax deduction only; does not affect FICA tax base. IRS Q&A explicitly confirms FICA continues to apply.

Sources

53 unique sources cited across the report — click to audit any claim directly against its evidence.

  1. 1.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions
  2. 2.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/225
  3. 3.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
  4. 4.https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-deductions-and-credits/no-tax-on-overtime-explained-qualified-overtime-deduction-rules-for-2025/c9ryduOVx
  5. 5.https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040s1a--2025.pdf
  6. 6.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/schedule-1-a-additional-deductions-what-to-know-about-the-new-form
  7. 7.https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime
  8. 8.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/29/213
  9. 9.https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-69.pdf
  10. 10.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-provide-guidance-for-individuals-who-received-tips-or-overtime-during-tax-year-2025
  11. 11.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-69.pdf
  12. 12.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-provide-penalty-relief-for-tax-year-2025-for-information-reporting-on-tips-and-overtime-under-the-one-big-beautiful-bill
  13. 13.https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-62.pdf
  14. 14.https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
  15. 15.https://www.hrmorning.com/news/w-2-box-codes-irs-update/
  16. 16.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://payroll.org/news-resources/news/news-detail/2026/01/12/irs-releases-2026-form-w-2-with-changes-due-to-obbba
  17. 17.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6051
  18. 18.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6041
  19. 19.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/224
  20. 20.https://irc.bloombergtax.com/public/uscode/doc/irc/section_224
  21. 21.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.hrmorning.com/news/w-2-box-codes-irs-update/
  22. 22.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6721
  23. 23.https://www.irs.gov/irm/part20/irm_20-001-007r
  24. 24.https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/no-tax-on-overtime-in-2026/
  25. 25.https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/how-does-no-tax-on-tips-work-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/
  26. 26.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/no-tax-on-overtime-in-2026/
  27. 27.https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2025/08/07/no-tax-on-overtime-1400-tax-cut-for-workers-will-fuel-manufacturing-comeback/
  28. 28.https://edd.ca.gov/siteassets/files/pdf_pub_ctr/2025_california_jobs_market_report.pdf
  29. 29.https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/statewide_otm_oty_change.htm
  30. 30.https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/state-decoupling-from-federal-tax-provisions/
  31. 31.https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/implementing-obbba-tax-law-changes/
  32. 32.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/state-decoupling-from-federal-tax-provisions/
  33. 33.https://www.bdo.com/insights/tax/illinois-becomes-latest-state-to-address-obbba-rules
  34. 34.https://tax.colorado.gov/january-2026-tax-policy-updates
  35. 35.https://www.bdo.com/insights/tax/colorado-becomes-first-state-to-address-obbba-changes
  36. 36.https://www.macomptroller.org/announcement/overtime-obbba/
  37. 37.https://www.cbiz.com/insights/article/massachusetts-conformity-with-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act
  38. 38.

    derived from § 225(c) definition (Cornell LII) + FLSA regular-rate methodology (DOL WHD)

  39. 39.https://kpmg.com/us/en/taxnewsflash/news/2025/11/notice-2025-69-qualified-tips-overtime-deductions.html
  40. 40.https://leadingage.org/irs-releases-draft-of-2026-w-2-form-with-code-for-overtime/
  41. 41.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-tax-deductions-for-working-americans-and-seniors
  42. 42.https://www.tax.ny.gov/forms/current-forms/it/it225i.htm
  43. 43.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/implementing-obbba-tax-law-changes/
  44. 44.https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/money-your-pockets-governor-hochul-kicks-2026-affordability-agenda-new-tax-relief-efforts-and
  45. 45.https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/new-york-governor-proposes-no-tax-tips-legislation
  46. 46.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/money-your-pockets-governor-hochul-kicks-2026-affordability-agenda-new-tax-relief-efforts-and
  47. 47.https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-individual-income-tax-rates-and-brackets/
  48. 48.https://www.revenue.nh.gov/
  49. 49.https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2026/jan/irs-releases-faqs-on-qualified-overtime-pay-deduction-under-h-r-1/
  50. 50.https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-new-deduction-for-qualified-overtime-compensation
  51. 51.https://www.theemployerreport.com/2025/12/irs-issues-2025-transition-relief-and-hints-at-future-tips-and-overtime-information-reporting-obligations/
  52. 52.https://www.adp.com/spark/articles/2025/11/treasury-irs-provide-guidance-for-tax-year-2025-for-individuals-claiming-deductions-for-qualified-ov.aspx
  53. 53.https://help.onpay.com/hc/en-us/articles/38960691072667-No-tax-on-overtime-Federal-tax-deduction-on-qualified-overtime

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