Colorado Will Continue Taxing Overtime Pay Despite New Federal Exemption
Adam Tahir
July 8, 2025

With Congress having passed the One Big Beautiful Bill, significant tax changes are about to take effect nationwide. One provision exempts overtime wages from federal income tax between 2025–2028, aiming to reduce tax burdens for middle-income workers.

However, Colorado has announced it will not conform to this federal exemption. This means that while taxpayers will see relief on their federal returns starting next year, overtime pay will remain fully taxable at the state level.

What Does the New Federal Law Provide?

The enacted bill includes:

Colorado’s Position

Colorado’s income tax system starts with federal AGI but allows lawmakers to “decouple” from specific federal changes. For overtime:

Why This Matters for Employees and Employers

Comparison Table: Overtime Pay Tax Treatment (2025–2028)

Policy Rationale

Colorado officials cited two main reasons for decoupling:

Planning Implications for Tax Advisors

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Bizora AI tracks state conformity decisions in real time, providing:

Want a structured analysis of overtime exemptions under the new federal law and Colorado’s decoupling? Ask Bizora AI for state-specific planning support in seconds.