The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the Act), signed on July 4,
2025, allows a deduction from an individual's personal tax
return on Form 1040 for "qualified overtime compensation"
as defined in new Code § 225. The amount that can be deducted
from the employee's return is capped at $12,500 with the
maximum then adjusted down if the employee's AGI exceeds
certain limits. This deduction is permitted in 2025.
Qualified Overtime Compensation
The term "qualified overtime compensation" (QOC) is
defined under Code § 225 to include only the overtime paid as
required under § 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in
excess of the employee's "regular rate" (as defined
in the FLSA); that is, QOC encompasses only the overtime premium
over the employee's regular rate. (For example, a regular rate
of $20 per hour yields on overtime payment of $30 per hour, which
consists of the regular rate plus a $10 overtime premium.) And the
definition's focus on the amount required under FLSA