Is Overtime Taxed More?

There is a lot of debate surrounding the taxation of overtime compensation. Some believe that overtime should be taxed at a higher rate because employees are receiving extra compensation for working extra hours.

Does Overtime Get Taxed More?

The overtime pay on any extra income is subject to taxation and will depend on your tax bracket and the number of hours you work each week. 

Is Overtime Taxed Differently? 

If you are paid on a salaried basis, your employer is required to withhold taxes from your paycheck based on the IRS tax tables. Overtime pay is taxed at the same rate as your regular wage bracket, regardless of how many hours you work each week. 

How Overtime Is Taxed

Overtime rate pay is subject to payroll taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxes, just like regular wages. The current Social Security tax rate is 12.40%. The Medicare tax rate is currently set at Hospital Insurance (HI) – which is Part A of Medicare – at a rate of per person.” 

Overtime pay is taxed at the same marginal rate as your base salary – regardless of your tax bracket. However, your overtime pay will be taxed higher if you are subject to state or local taxes on overtime earnings due to the burden of taxes.

Overtime pay and the tax bracket myth explained:

Frequently Asked Questions

Your colleague may be in a lower tax bracket than you, so their overtime pay is taxed at a lower rate. They may not have any hours of overtime worked during the pay period or they are only making minimum wage.  

Why do I pay more tax than my colleague?

If you are an hourly wage employee, your employer is not required to withhold taxes from your paycheck. However, you are responsible for paying taxes on your earnings, including any overtime pay. 

I am an hourly employee, and I never see any taxes taken out of my paycheck. Is this normal?

You can minimize the amount of taxes you owe by claiming deductions and credits on your tax return. Speak with a tax professional to see if there are any other strategies that you can use to lower your tax bill. 

How can I minimize the amount of taxes I owe on my overtime earnings?

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