Raise your hand if you feel like you’re juggling too many balls in your Milwaukee business right now. (Yes, my hand is raised too.)
Running a business means your brain is already pulled in ten different directions. And then Q3 shows up with a slew of tax code changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that have big implications for your bottom line.
Now, you should absolutely be talking to your tax preparer to unpack the details of the OBBBA. But today, my focus is to help you connect the dots between those updates and the bigger decisions you’re making for your business.
Here’s one piece of good news (take a deep breath): you won’t need to scramble this quarter to overhaul your payroll systems. The IRS has said there are no new payroll forms and no changes to withholding tables for 2025.
Translation: your W-2s, 1099s, and 941s stay the same for now.
Schedule time with your tax pro before year-end to make sure you’re not missing any levers you could be pulling to strengthen your business.
But I’m bringing it up today because it’s crucial to understand the effects of tax law on decision-making in your business. Because, yes, tax law really does shape your cash flow, hiring, reinvestment, and growth opportunities.
Last week, we talked about the compliance side of what no taxes on tips and overtime means for your business. Now, we’re taking it a step further: We’re talking long-term plays.
Because when a new law works in your favor, you want to be ready to take full advantage of it. Let me show you how.
OBBBA’s No Tax on Overtime & Tips: The Positives for Your Milwaukee Business
“If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” —Abraham Maslow
Quick Summary: No Tax on Overtime and Tips and your Business Strategy
- Employees can keep significantly more of their tip and overtime income, but only for federal income tax purposes (Social Security and Medicare still apply).
- You can structure pay in ways that emphasize improved take-home pay without increasing your wage bill or payroll taxes.
- The law will require new payroll tracking and W-2 reporting, making this a perfect time to modernize payroll systems and improve your workforce data.
- In 2026, the IRS will enforce withholding changes that will require updated payroll capabilities.
Last week, we covered the compliance steps you’ll need to make sure you’re on the right side of the law with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and its “no taxes on overtime and tips” provision. (If you missed it, I’d recommend taking a look at it and then coming back here.)
And if you understand those compliance steps, great! You’ve checked the “avoid problems” box.
But that’s not the end of the conversation.
Because compliance is about defense. And strategy is where you play offense.
And the truth is, this law is actually a potential competitive advantage for your Southeastern Wisconsin business. The business owner who stops at “I’m set up to file correctly” is leaving opportunity on the table.
Here are 3 strategic pivots to make in your business for the no tax on overtime and tips law…
Pivot 1: Rethink Compensation
For years, tips and overtime have been just another payroll line item. But now, the federal income tax deduction on these earnings makes them worth more to your employees without costing you more in wages or employer-side payroll taxes.
That’s a rare win.
If your servers, technicians, or operators can make the same gross wage at your business as they could across the street, but take home a larger portion of it here because your pay structure leans into high tips or frequent overtime, you suddenly have a built-in recruitment and retention edge.
Think about a full-time waiter who reports 40K in tips annually and sits in the 22 percent bracket. Under these rules, they could avoid taxes on 25K of those tips and save around 5.5K in federal income tax. That’s like giving them a raise without touching your wage bill OR your FICA liability.
This is the moment to look at whether your overtime policy could be a recruiting tool instead of a budget headache.
Pivot 2: Modernize Your Payroll Systems
Sure, the OBBBA will require you to separately report qualified tips and overtime on the W-2. That’s an administrative lift.
But it’s also your excuse to stop limping along with outdated spreadsheets (something over half of small business owners still use) and manual payroll processes.
Upgrading to a payroll system that can automatically track, segment, and report these amounts isn’t just about keeping the IRS happy. It’s about getting detailed compensation data you can actually use.
Imagine being able to run a quarterly report showing exactly how much your workforce has saved in taxes because of this law. That’s a powerful talking point for employee reviews, recruiting conversations, and even retention bonuses.
On the flip side, if you’re still doing manual entries and misclassify overtime or fail to capture all reported tips, you could accidentally under-report on the W-2. Which is a technical foul AND a potential morale problem if employees feel they’ve missed out on deductions they’ve earned.
Pivot 3: Communicate With Your Team
One of the easiest ways to fumble the goodwill this law creates? Let your employees misunderstand it.
If they hear “no tax on overtime and tips” and expect their next paycheck to be bigger, you’ll be fielding some unhappy questions come payday.
The IRS has confirmed there will be no changes to their paychecks or your withholding practices for 2025. You can explain that the tax benefit is a deduction they can claim when they file their annual tax return, but it doesn’t affect their regular pay.
And they’ll still owe Social Security and Medicare taxes.
So, your messaging matters. Keep it accurate but encouraging. Use simple explanations and real numbers.
Try something along the lines of: “If you work overtime, the extra half of your pay in ‘time and a half’ is deductible up to 12.5K/year on your tax return.”
Same with tips: “The portion of tips reported on your W-2, up to 25K, qualifies for this deduction.” Pair that with a one-page handout or FAQ for bonus points.
FAQ
“How can no tax on overtime and tips reshape my overall compensation strategy over the next 3 years?”
It opens the door to designing pay packages that emphasize qualifying income types (tips and overtime premiums) without raising your base wage costs. That means you can compete for top talent on net pay, not gross pay. Over time, this could become a core element of your employer brand, especially in industries with high turnover and tipped workforces, if the provision gets extended beyond 2028.
“Should I be restructuring roles or shifts to take advantage of this?”
Possibly. You might rethink scheduling so that certain high-skill, high-demand employees have more access to overtime opportunities. Likewise, you could design roles where tips make up a larger share of compensation. But only if service quality and tip reporting can be maintained.
“How should I be using 2025 to position myself for the 2026 changes?”
Treat 2025 as a low-pressure sandbox for building airtight tracking systems, testing communication strategies with staff, and identifying which parts of your compensation model benefit most from the law. By the time 2026 withholding rules arrive, you’ll already have a proven, efficient process.
“Could this law influence my pricing or service model?”
Absolutely. If your staff take-home pay is rising without a direct increase in payroll costs, you may be able to maintain (or even raise) service quality without increasing menu prices, hourly rates, or other customer-facing charges.
“When will employees actually see the benefit?”
For 2025: At tax filing time in 2026. The new law has retroactive effects for the 2025 tax year. This means that when you file your 2025 tax return (typically in early 2026), you will be able to claim new deductions and credits that were made available by the law.
For 2026: In their paycheck. The IRS and Treasury are expected to issue guidance for employers to adjust withholding tables to reflect the new tax laws, which will take effect at the beginning of the 2026 tax year. This will result in changes to the amount of federal income tax withheld from paychecks.
What it means for you
We’ve covered a lot here. But the real value comes when we put your numbers and your team into the equation. Every business is different, and the smartest moves for one owner might be a missed opportunity for another.
Let’s sit down, run through your payroll data, and map out a plan that turns this new law into a built-in advantage for your business: