08/04/2025
One Big Beautiful Bill Act Creates New Tax Deductions – Did You Know? (2/3)
As a result of Congress enacting the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, many people will have the opportunity to claim new tax deductions over the next several years. These deductions will be available both to those who itemize deductions and those who use a standard deduction.
One of the new deductions relates to bonus pay that employees may receive for working overtime. In general, eligible employees may deduct overtime pay that exceeds their normal pay rate. For example, if employees ordinarily get paid $20/hour, but a $30/hour rate applies to their overtime work ("time and a half"), then up to $10/hour of their overtime earnings will be deductible. The maximum deduction amount will be $12,500 per year, or $25,000 for joint filers.
People with modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGIs) above $150,000 (or $300,000 for joint filers) may not qualify for this deduction, or may receive a reduced deduction amount. To be eligible for this special deduction, overtime pay must be reported by an employer on an official IRS document like Form W-2. The IRS will provide additional guidance on this deduction, including special transitional rules for 2025, later this fall.