Overtime Tax Savings at $20/Hour
Working 10 overtime hours per week at $20/hour (time-and-a-half), you earn $15,600 in annual overtime pay. Under the 2026 overtime tax exemption, you'd save approximately $1,872 in federal taxes — keeping an extra $156 per month.
Pay Details
Tax Details
Compensation Breakdown
Federal tax comparison with and without the overtime exemption.
| Item | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Pay | $41,600 | $3,467 |
| Overtime Pay | $15,600 | $1,300 |
| Total Gross | $57,200 | $4,767 |
| Federal Tax (normal) | $4,742 | $395 |
| Federal Tax (OT exempt) | $2,870 | $239 |
| FICA | $4,376 | $365 |
Annual Tax Savings
$1,872
If overtime is exempt from federal income tax
Overtime Pay
Effective Hourly Rate
Monthly Impact
What This Means
The 2026 overtime tax exemption allows qualifying non-exempt employees to exclude overtime pay from federal income tax. At $20/hour, your overtime rate is $30/hour (time-and-a-half). Working 10 overtime hours per week, you earn $15,600 in annual overtime pay. Without the exemption, this overtime income would be taxed at your marginal federal rate. With the exemption, you save $1,872 in federal taxes annually — that's $156 more in your pocket each month. To qualify, you must be a non-exempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and your overtime must exceed 40 hours in a workweek. Important: FICA taxes (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare) still apply to overtime pay. Self-employed individuals and exempt (salaried) employees generally do not qualify for this exemption.