'No Tax on Tips and Overtime': What the New Deductions Mean for Workers

New federal deductions for tips and overtime pay — enacted as part of last year's sweeping tax-and-spending law — are coming into focus as the IRS rolls out guidance, and they stand to affect millions of workers when they file.

Under the provisions, eligible employees and self-employed people can deduct qualified tips received in certain tip-heavy occupations, such as wait staff, bartenders, salon workers, and personal trainers. A separate deduction covers qualified overtime — generally the extra "half" of time-and-a-half pay required under federal labor law.

The limits

The deductions are not unlimited. The overtime write-off can reach up to $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for married couples filing jointly, and it phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income above $150,000, or $300,000 for joint filers. The tips deduction has its own eligibility rules tied to qualifying occupations.

A bumpy first year

For the 2025 tax year — the W-2s issued in early 2026 — the IRS said it would not immediately redesign core payroll forms to break out tips and overtime separately. Instead, the agency is offering transition relief, meaning employers generally will not be penalized for not itemizing that detail, provided they follow existing federal wage rules.

The practical upshot: eligible workers can claim the deductions this filing season, but they should keep careful records of tips and overtime, since the paperwork behind the new breaks is still catching up. Tax professionals are urging affected workers to confirm their occupation qualifies and to track earnings closely.