Colorado context:
This calculator estimates a potential federal overtime-related savings scenario under the 2025 proposal. State and local tax outcomes depend on Colorado rules and your full household picture, so use the official sources below to validate what applies to you.
- Overtime âpremiumâ is modeled as 0.5Ă your hourly rate per overtime hour (the time-and-a-half premium portion).
- Annual cap: 2,500 (single) / $25,000 (married filing jointly).
- Phase-out starts at MAGI 50,000 (single) / $300,000 (MFJ), reducing the deductible amount by 00 per ,000 over the threshold.
- If MAGI is blank, itâs estimated from your weekly pay and overtime scenario.
How to Use This Estimate for Planning
Overtime can materially change take-home pay in Colorado, especially for energy field work, ski-season hospitality, and construction crews. This tool focuses on the federal side of the proposal: it models a capped overtime âpremiumâ amount and then applies an income phase-out based on filing status and estimated household income (MAGI). The output is an estimate meant to help you compare scenarios (for example: âWhat if I work 6 more OT hours per week?â), not a guarantee of your final tax filing result.
If you leave MAGI blank, the calculator estimates it from the entered weekly pay and overtime scenario. If you know your approximate household income, entering MAGI can reduce surprises because phase-out behavior is driven by that number. Either way, remember that real returns can differ based on deductions, credits, and how a final law is written and implemented.
What to confirm (and where)
- Colorado Department of Revenue: state income tax and withholding rules (if applicable), definitions, and current guidance.
- IRS tools: whether a W-4 update makes sense after you model a scenario here.
- Your pay stub: how overtime is computed and reported for your specific job (rules can vary by employer and pay type).
A practical workflow is: (1) model a few overtime scenarios here, (2) check official guidance, and (3) only then adjust withholding if youâre confident the change is appropriate. If you want to share your scenario with a spouse or coworker, use the Share/Copy buttons to include the exact inputs in the link.
What to double-check in Colorado
Use this page as a federal baseline, then verify what Colorado does with federal definitions and withholding. The state-side details are what determine your final take-home pay.
- Review Colorado filing guidance via the state tax agency.
- Re-check your federal withholding with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator if your overtime pattern changes.
More context: Guide: State conformity & withholding.
Colorado FAQ
Does this estimate include Colorado state income tax rules?
Where can I verify official information for Colorado?
Will Colorado automatically follow federal changes?
Should I adjust withholding if I use this estimate in Colorado?
Before you rely on this estimate, check whether Colorado conforms to federal deductions and how your payroll defines overtime earnings. If needed, validate withholding using IRS resources and review guidance from the Colorado tax agency.
State-specific scenario for Colorado
Scenario: your overtime is concentrated into a few pay periods (busy season) rather than evenly spread. Update your withholding choices so the estimate lines up with your current household and filing assumptions. For official guidance, compare your inputs against the IRS Withholding Estimator and your official Colorado tax agency.
How to use this estimate in Colorado
Three common use cases to help you decide what to check next (federal estimate only; state rules can differ).
Use case 1: paycheck withholding sanityâcheck
When you expect sustained overtime, validate the paycheck impact by running the IRS Withholding Estimator. Then crossâcheck assumptions in Methodology.
Use case 2: moved, partâyear, or multiâstate work
If you moved, work across state lines, or file partâyear, confirm residency and withholding guidance before relying on a federal-only estimate. Start with the official Colorado guidance, then use our state checklist. See how we use sources.
Use case 3: planning & documentation
Use this as a quick âwhat-if,â then document the assumptions you used (weekly pay, overtime hours, and whether MAGI was entered). Our methodology section and disclaimer explain the limits of the estimate.
Mini how-to by work situation in Colorado
A federal-only estimate can still help planning. Colorado generally has state-specific withholding and filing rules, so use the official state guidance to confirm residency/partâyear issues and how state withholding is calculated. Use official tools like the IRS Withholding Estimator, review Form Wâ4, and check official Colorado tax guidance.
Hourly / shift workers
When your schedule changes (extra shifts, weekend coverage), re-check your federal withholding using the IRS estimator and confirm your Wâ4 still matches your current pay mix. Save two recent pay stubs so you can spot whether withholding moved in the direction you expected. Colorado may apply state-specific withholding and residency rules, so confirm local guidance before making changes. Official links: IRS estimator, Form Wâ4, Colorado tax guidance.
Salaried with overtime
For salaried roles with periodic overtime, the biggest lever is usually withholding accuracy rather than the label on your salary. Use the IRS estimator, then decide whether a Wâ4 adjustment makes sense and confirm with payroll how supplemental/overtime pay is handled. State withholding rules in Colorado can differ from federal expectationsâdoubleâcheck residency/partâyear guidance on the official site. Official links: IRS estimator, Form Wâ4, Colorado tax guidance.
Multiple jobs or job change
With multiple employers, each payroll system withholds in isolation, so the combined outcome can surprise you. Use the IRS estimator using your total income and then validate that each jobâs withholding settings arenât pulling in the opposite direction. Colorado may apply state-specific withholding and residency rules, so confirm local guidance before making changes. Official links: IRS estimator, Form Wâ4, Colorado tax guidance.
Official state tax pointers
Use official pages to confirm residency rules, part-year situations, and paycheck withholding.
Read this next (quick context)
If you plan around this estimate, these short guides help you verify the inputs and understand state variability.