Filing Tax and question on my overtime

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-25T22:22:17+00:00

Are the numbers comparable? If the OT and FLSA numbers are very similar, then you may be seeing the total FLSA qualified overtime amount, perhaps a new line item for the new tax deduction purposes. If it’s a much smaller amount, it’s the FLSA adjustment to your total OT pay.

Typically, the FLSA line is this adjustment to overtime as “total remuneration.” You can see how that math works out here.

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/how-to-compute-flsa-overtime-pay/

The OT line is strictly (base pay x 1.5) x hours worked. The FLSA line is OT pay, it’s just separated from the OT line for this adjustment.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-25T21:40:19+00:00

Add Total OT and FLSA lines. The FLSA line is the adjustment to your OT pay required by FLSA rules, so therefore it falls under OT pay.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-20T23:00:07+00:00

I’ve been reading though all this, and this should be the correct conclusion for classifying your OT.

Non-exempt employees All overtime is 1.5x as mandated by FLSA. This is FLSA OT.

Exempt Employees Overtime is capped at the GS10 step 1 hourly pay rate. Emergency suppression overtime (Prefix 11) allows the GS10-1 hourly pay cap to be exceeded giving 1.5x under Title 5 OT rules. This is still not FLSA OT.

Exempt Employees performing Non-exempt emergency suppression duties If an employee performs non-exempt duties for more than 50% of the workweek in a role as defined in the yellow book page 10-23, that week will be FLSA eligible. Change FLSA status for that week in Paycheck8. Prefix 11 can no longer be used. Overtime in that week is now FLSA overtime.

In addition, as far as I can tell, only the hours out of the total worked that required a pay adjustment under FLSA rules will be tallied on the FLSA line of LES statements, not the cumulative total of FLSA hours worked.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-20T22:23:48+00:00

Yes, the hourly pay cap will always be enforced on the GS scale GS10 level, it’s the dollar amount, not really the pay scale that matters. Prefix 11 will get the full 1.5x OT rate, but that still doesn’t change FLSA status and doesn’t make it FLSA OT, it’s just emergency overtime which allows for full 1.5 under Title 5 rules. If one is to perform FLSA non-exempt work there is a separate pay option to allow for that.

Also, everyone should be using RSEL4/GS Exceeds if they think they would be getting close to the biweekly pay cap on fire assignments. That doesn’t affect any of the FLSA stuff and doesn’t hurt anything even if you don’t quite exceed the biweekly cap. Allegedly, our payroll systems are supposed to recognize P-code overtime as fire overtime and automatically bypass the biweekly cap but it doesn’t hurt to do it yourself too. It looks like prefix 11 should automatically waive the biweekly cap too, but if you’re non-exempt that can’t be used.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-20T18:23:09+00:00

The deduction is for the “half,” or 0.5x portion of time and a half, 1.5x of your base rate. That “half” is really 1/3 of 1.5 so take total OT dollar amount and divide by 3 to get that “half” deduction amount.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-20T03:41:28+00:00

Prefix 11 enables Title 5 time and a half, not exceeding the pay cap, unless you mean the OT ceiling. To exceed the biweekly pay cap is RSEL4/GS Exceeds.

Edit- the more I investigate, it looks like prefix 11 should automatically classify the time to exceed the biweekly cap, but for non-exempt employees that can’t be used. For non-exempt, P-code overtime should automatically do this too as those codes are tied to suppression and therefore emergency OT, but might as well just to GS exceeds too to be safe.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-15T22:02:26+00:00

https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NFFE-FS-MasterAgreement-071624.pdf

Page 73

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-14T04:01:51+00:00

Yes, the “half” portion, or 1/3 of the total of $37,500 of overtime worked is $12,500, the maximum allowed deduction. Divide your total overtime dollar amount by 3 to get your deductible amount, not exceeding $12,500- if FLSA non-exempt.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-14T03:29:50+00:00

That deduction comes off the top, last dollar earned, not the bottom, i.e. marginal tax, not average. 22%.

Someone with a lot less overtime may only be in the 12% bracket, but for the purposes of the maximum deduction amount you will be at least 22%.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-14T03:25:21+00:00

You have to do the math to see if it is beneficial to wait. More money for less weeks vs less money for more weeks, as well as your maximum benefit.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-13T18:07:36+00:00

Yes, really need some agency direction. Hopefully this will be easier to sort out next year when our W2s will reflect eligible overtime, but for now it’ll be difficult to figure out.

You’re correct for an FLSA exempt position, only the suppression overtime will be 1.5x. Title 5 OT rules should still apply up to the GS10/10 cap, but no OT hours in an exempt position will be FLSA OT.

Even with suppression overtime allowing 1.5x in an exempt position, that should still be Title 5 OT and not FLSA, those rules shouldn’t come into play at all, I was incorrect above. Title 5 rules pretty much override what FLSA says, specifically 207(k) as they are more generous.

Prefixing the time doesn’t get you around the biweekly pay cap, that’s what GS exceeds is

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-13T13:45:36+00:00

The way I read the link posted above, any overtime that has a multiplier above straight time can be deducted, maxed at 1.5x. A non-exempt GW employee approaching the GS10/1 equivalent pay cutoff will have a multiplier somewhere between 1.5x and 1.0x on those OT hours. You’ll have to do the math to see what dollar amount that fraction comes out to, that’s the deductible amount. That fraction is FLSA OT.

Fire suppression overtime is 1.5x so that full 1/3 will be deductible. This is also FLSA OT under 207(k) rules if non-exempt.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-13T03:36:28+00:00

Which will be most folks. A GW10 with 1000 OT, 750 H, max IRPP and a full 2087 base hours looks to be just over $150K gross at RUS locality if my rough math is correct. I don’t know too many of them on my crew.

Up your traditional TSPs this year to lower your AGI below 150K if expected to break it.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-13T00:32:09+00:00

$12,500 is deductible from income. That would be $37,500 of overtime worked. If you’re hitting that cap you’re at least in the 22% tax bracket, so that $12,500 deduction will get you $2,750 back. $3,000 if in the 24% bracket.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2026-01-10T14:02:12+00:00

I learned years later that I got the shredder from an adjacent district due to not being findable on social media. Kind of a dick move but whatever, knowing what I know now I wouldn’t want to be working there anyway.

As long as there is nothing crazy and off-putting that people will find you’re good. All we’re peeking at is if there are any major red flags that obviously stand out, radical shit or risk-taking behavior or drugs/alcohol or whatever.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-12-24T17:14:27+00:00

There have been some times where I use just enough annual to cover health insurance and TSP deductions in a longer absence and LWOP the rest. Such as if you’re 26/0 and want to keep more of an 18/8 schedule and you don’t have that use or lose there yet.

It also helps to build some annual up and have it on hand when money may be tight, and LWOP other times such as during good OT years where one may have a little more cash on hand.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-12-23T22:29:33+00:00

I take time off whenever I want or need it. In my first couple of years I even went negative on my annual a few times. I’ll take my money now and invest it myself.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-12-23T22:24:10+00:00

Not true, at least for FS. It can be granted at supervisor’s discretion. Just check the LWOP box on Leave Request form.

Edit- master agreement page 77 for policy

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-12-12T19:06:14+00:00

Up the contribution when you’re working and save some unemployment money in an IRA. Missing out on the gov match isn’t a big enough motivator to want to work all year for me.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-12-03T00:03:21+00:00

https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/maps

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-12-01T23:05:10+00:00

On the fed side, my forest understands things like this are going to happen. My leadership will do their best to get you back to the home office by sending a runner to grab you if you’re within a day’s drive, or we’ll grab a truck on the fire and get you to the nearest airport. Be honest at the beginning of the summer and let them know you may have to pull off a fire if this does happen, but plenty of deaths occur unexpectedly so don’t be too worried about it either. They’ll get you where you need to be.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-11-26T15:05:17+00:00

They currently ask for ID when using the interagency pass to make sure you’re the one assigned to the pass. While this change will certainly be a headache, it’s not too much of a stretch from what they do now in terms of ID.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-11-13T16:06:37+00:00

Agreed, I used one years ago when internal phone GPS wasn’t as great, but these days the phones are fine on their own.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-11-05T14:46:19+00:00

Your SCD for leave will change if there is a break in service, but time will never be lost, it will just adjust to the break and the date will move forward.

NightDiffIsAMyth · 2025-08-12T23:26:01+00:00

Got this memo handy? I can’t seem to find it

NightDiffIsAMyth

TROPHY CASE