2025 tax deductions

No Tax on Tips and Overtime, Explained

Two separate federal deductions from the same law, with the same income phaseout but different caps. Here's what actually qualifies, and what each one is worth.

the FigureNerd team · Last reviewed: · Sources: One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), IRS.gov, Methodology

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created two new federal income tax deductions in the same law: one for tip income, one for overtime pay. Both showed up in headlines as a blanket "no tax" promise, and both are actually narrower, capped deductions that phase out at higher incomes. If you have both kinds of pay, here's how the two rules relate, what each one actually covers, and two worked examples using the exact math our calculators run.

Who qualifies

Both deductions require a valid Social Security number, and if you're married, you must file a joint return to claim either one. Beyond that, they diverge:

Primary source One Big Beautiful Bill Act, H.R. 1, enrolled bill text, Sec. 70201-70202, opened directly at govinfo.gov this session (2026-09-26): the tips occupation cutoff ("cash tips received by an individual in an occupation which customarily and regularly received tips on or before December 31, 2024," new IRC section 224(d)(1)), the specified-service-trade exclusion ("the trade or business ... is not a specified service trade or business (as defined in section 199A(d)(2))," section 224(d)(2)(B)), and the overtime definition ("overtime compensation paid to an individual required under section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 that is in excess of the regular rate ... at which such individual is employed," new IRC section 225(c)(1)) are not stated on either IRS.gov page above; they come from this enrolled bill text, the same source the two calculators themselves already cite.

Nothing in the statute stops you from claiming both in the same year if you have qualifying income from each. Run your tip income through the No Tax on Tips Calculator and your overtime through the No Tax on Overtime Calculator separately; each has its own cap and its own qualified-income math.

The caps and the shared phaseout

Both deductions phase out at the same modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) thresholds, reduced by $100 for every $1,000 your MAGI is over the threshold, down to zero. Only the caps differ.

DeductionAnnual capMAGI phaseout starts
No tax on tips$25,000 flat, single or joint$150,000 single / $300,000 joint
No tax on overtime$12,500 single, $25,000 joint$150,000 single / $300,000 joint
Primary source IRS.gov, tips deduction · IRS.gov, overtime deduction

Both pages we cite were opened directly this session (dated March 5, 2026 on IRS.gov) and both confirm the caps and the $150,000/$300,000 phaseout thresholds shown above. Neither deduction touches payroll tax: both amend the federal income tax rules in subchapter B of the tax code, not chapter 21's Social Security and Medicare provisions, so both of our calculators assume payroll tax is still owed on the full tip or overtime amount unless and until the IRS says otherwise. Neither changes state income tax, and neither is available to a married taxpayer filing separately.

Primary source One Big Beautiful Bill Act, H.R. 1, enrolled bill text, Sec. 70201-70202, opened directly at govinfo.gov this session (2026-09-26): neither IRS.gov page above states where the deductions sit in the tax code or when they end. The bill itself does: both new sections are inserted into "Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1" (new IRC sections 224 and 225), never amending chapter 21 (the FICA payroll tax chapter), and both carry the identical termination clause, "No deduction shall be allowed under this section for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2028."

Two worked examples

These are the exact default numbers each calculator shows a first-time visitor, so you can check our math against the live tools yourselves.

Overtime: $8,000 in overtime pay

Single filer, $8,000 total overtime pay (standard time-and-a-half), $70,000 MAGI, 22% marginal bracket.

Qualified overtime compensation (premium only, 1/3 of $8,000)$2,666.67
After the $12,500 single cap$2,666.67
MAGI phaseout reduction (MAGI below $150,000, so none)-$0.00
Estimated federal income tax saved$586.67

Tips: $15,000 in reported cash tips

Single filer, $15,000 reported cash tips, not self-employed, $70,000 MAGI, 22% marginal bracket.

Qualified tips$15,000.00
After the $25,000 flat cap$15,000.00
MAGI phaseout reduction (MAGI below $150,000, so none)-$0.00
Estimated federal income tax saved$3,300.00

Both examples are federal income tax estimates only, before payroll tax, state tax, withholding, or your other deductions and credits. Try your own numbers in the No Tax on Overtime Calculator and the No Tax on Tips Calculator.

What to do before filing

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the no tax on tips and no tax on overtime deductions the same thing?

No. They are two separate federal income tax deductions created by the same law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and they share the same MAGI phaseout thresholds, but they have different caps and different definitions of what qualifies. Tips are capped at a flat $25,000. Overtime is capped at $12,500 single or $25,000 joint, and only the premium portion of overtime pay counts.

Can I claim both deductions in the same year?

Yes, if you have both qualifying tip income and qualifying overtime pay, nothing in the statute prevents claiming both. Each has its own cap and its own qualified-income calculation, but they share the same MAGI phaseout thresholds of $150,000 single and $300,000 joint.

Do either of these deductions reduce payroll tax?

No. Both are federal income tax deductions only. Neither amends the payroll tax rules that fund Social Security and Medicare, so both calculators assume payroll tax is still owed on the full tip or overtime amount, unless and until the IRS says otherwise.

What years do these deductions apply to?

Both apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and both are scheduled to end for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2028, per the statute's own termination clauses, unless Congress changes the law before then.

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A note on this guide. This is general information about federal tax law and is not tax advice for your specific situation. FigureNerd calculators are educational tools designed to support your decision-making; we are not licensed CPAs, attorneys, or financial planners. This guide covers federal income tax only, not payroll tax, state tax, or your full return. Before filing, we'd encourage you to confirm your numbers with a qualified tax professional or the IRS's own guidance.