Michigan workers — particularly the hundreds of thousands employed in the state's manufacturing and auto industries — stand to benefit from a rare double advantage under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, P.L. 119-21) for tax years 2025–2028. The OBBBA created a federal income tax deduction of up to $12,500 (single) or $25,000 (married filing jointly) on qualifying overtime premium pay, and Michigan's tax structure means workers get a corresponding benefit at the state level — without the Michigan legislature needing to pass a separate law.
Here is why: Michigan computes its state income tax starting from federal adjusted gross income (AGI) under the Michigan Income Tax Act (MCL §206.51). The OBBBA overtime deduction reduces your federal AGI directly — it is an above-the-line deduction. When Michigan then applies its flat 4.05% income tax rate to that same lower starting figure, Michigan residents automatically benefit. This is sometimes called "piggyback conformity" or "rolling conformity" — Michigan has not enacted a standalone overtime exemption, but by tethering state tax to federal AGI, the OBBBA's benefit flows through automatically to the state return.
This contrasts sharply with New York, California, and Illinois, which explicitly do not conform to the OBBBA overtime deduction — those states add the deduction back on the state return, so workers there receive only the federal benefit. Michigan workers get both layers. For a UAW assembly line worker in the Detroit metro earning $14,000 in overtime, combined federal and state tax savings can reach approximately $3,238 per year — and that gap versus non-conforming states like New York can exceed $2,800 annually.
This guide explains exactly how Michigan conformity works, walks through a worked example for an auto industry worker, breaks down what remains taxable (FICA), and explains the 2028 sunset risk.
Michigan's conformity to the OBBBA overtime deduction is not the result of the Michigan legislature passing a standalone overtime exemption — it is the automatic consequence of how Michigan's income tax is structured.
Under the Michigan Income Tax Act (MCL §206.51), Michigan begins its state income tax calculation using the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income (AGI) as the starting point, then applies Michigan-specific additions and subtractions before arriving at Michigan taxable income. The flat 4.05% rate is then applied to that Michigan taxable income figure.
This is a critically different structure from states like New York, California, and Illinois, which either (a) start from federal taxable income and make their own adjustments, or (b) explicitly identify the OBBBA overtime deduction as a non-conforming item to be added back.
The OBBBA overtime deduction is an above-the-line federal deduction — it directly reduces a taxpayer's federal AGI before they reach the standard deduction or itemised deductions. Because Michigan begins its calculation at federal AGI, the deduction is already embedded in the starting number Michigan uses. No separate Michigan form or entry is needed to claim it — it is already reflected in the federal AGI figure imported onto the Michigan return.
Example of the mechanism:
Michigan has not enacted a separate, independent overtime income exemption that would survive after the OBBBA sunsets in 2028. The state-level benefit exists only because federal AGI is the starting point — if Congress allows the OBBBA to expire on December 31, 2028, Michigan workers automatically lose the state benefit as well, because federal AGI will revert to including the overtime amounts.
Verify current Michigan Department of Treasury guidance on OBBBA conformity at michigan.gov/treasury before filing, as the Department may issue specific instructions on the treatment of the OBBBA deduction on Michigan Form MI-1040.
The following worked example uses a realistic profile for a Michigan manufacturing worker — an assembly line employee at a Detroit-area auto plant, earning a solid hourly wage with significant overtime during model-year changeover periods and production pushes.
If Michigan added back the OBBBA deduction on the state return (as New York, California, and Illinois do), Michigan's taxable income would revert to $66,000:
The federal saving comes from: without OBBBA, federal taxable income = $66,000 − $15,750 = $50,250, federal income tax ≈ $6,200. With OBBBA: $4,473. Federal saving: approximately $1,727 (at this income level with partial OT premium; at full $12,500 deduction in the 22% bracket, saving = $2,750).
An identical worker in New York — same $66,000 income, same overtime — faces a starkly different outcome. New York does not conform to the OBBBA deduction and applies graduated state income tax rates reaching 6.85% at this income level, plus New York City income tax if applicable. A single filer earning $66,000 in New York faces approximately:
Michigan $11,689 vs New York $14,500 — approximately $2,800 Michigan annual advantage for the same worker doing the same job. Over a five-year period in which overtime remains consistent, this gap approaches $14,000 in cumulative tax difference.
Michigan's overtime tax advantage is not abstract — it directly benefits the manufacturing and auto workers who form the backbone of the state's economy. These are workers for whom overtime is not occasional but structural: production targets, model-year changeovers, supplier rush orders, and seasonal assembly pushes routinely push weekly hours well above 40.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) represents workers at the Big Three automakers — General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Stellantis — along with supplier plants and component manufacturers across southeastern Michigan. Assembly line workers at plants in Wayne, Sterling Heights, Dearborn, and Lansing commonly work 10-hour and 12-hour shifts with mandatory overtime during high-demand production runs.
Typical Michigan manufacturing compensation context (BLS-derived estimates):
Michigan's concentration of skilled trades workers — tool and die makers, CNC machinists, industrial maintenance technicians — earn significantly above the manufacturing median, often $30–$45/hour. These workers frequently hit the $12,500 OBBBA deduction cap and capture the full $506 Michigan state saving alongside the full $2,750 federal saving.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 automotive parts suppliers — stamping plants, plastics molders, glass fabricators, and seating manufacturers — operate throughout western and central Michigan (Grand Rapids, Flint, Lansing, Kalamazoo). These plants often run three shifts with mandatory overtime, and their workers are among the most consistent high-overtime earners in the state. The OBBBA deduction applies equally to these workers as to assembly workers at Tier 1 plants.
Michigan hospitals, health systems, and emergency services employ large numbers of workers who regularly exceed 40 hours per week. RNs picking up overtime shifts at Henry Ford Health, Beaumont (Corewell), or Ascension Michigan at median wages of $38–$48/hour generate meaningful overtime premium that qualifies for the OBBBA deduction — with Michigan conformity providing the additional $506/year state saving compared to non-conforming states.
Michigan's conformity to the OBBBA overtime deduction — via its federal AGI starting point — places it in a significantly more favorable position than the three most populous non-conforming states. Understanding this comparison helps Michigan workers appreciate what they have, and helps workers in those states understand what they are missing.
New York explicitly does not conform to the OBBBA overtime deduction. New York's Department of Taxation and Finance has indicated that the state uses its own tax base calculation that adds back the OBBBA deduction, meaning New York workers pay state income tax on 100% of their overtime earnings at New York's graduated rates — reaching 6.85% for income in the $40,000–$300,000 range. New York City residents face an additional NYC income tax of approximately 3.876%.
Result: A New York City worker earning $66,000 (same Detroit auto worker scenario) faces roughly $14,500 in combined federal + state + city taxes versus Michigan's $11,689. Michigan advantage: ~$2,800/year.
California does not conform to the OBBBA. The California Franchise Tax Board requires the federal deduction to be added back on Schedule CA of Form 540. California then applies its own graduated rates — reaching 9.3% at this income level — to the full overtime earnings. Combined with California's SDI (0.9%) and the lack of any state overtime deduction, California workers at comparable income levels owe $2,500–$4,000 more per year in state income tax than Michigan workers on the same total income.
Illinois does not conform to the OBBBA either. Despite Illinois having a flat income tax structure (like Michigan), Illinois's flat rate of 4.95% is applied to Illinois net income, which does not start from federal AGI in the same way Michigan's does. Illinois workers lose the state-level benefit entirely. On $12,500 of overtime premium, Illinois workers pay an additional $619 in state income tax that Michigan workers avoid via conformity (4.95% vs Michigan's 4.05% — plus the Illinois non-conformity means the $12,500 is fully subject to state tax either way in Illinois).
For a single worker with $12,500 qualifying overtime premium in the 22% federal bracket:
Among states with a state income tax, Michigan's conforming structure means workers capture the full combined benefit — making it one of the more advantageous states for overtime earners nationwide.
Understanding what the OBBBA overtime deduction does NOT cover is as important as understanding what it does — particularly for Michigan workers whose employers may adjust payroll withholding when the deduction takes effect.
The OBBBA overtime deduction is an income tax deduction only. It has no effect on FICA taxes:
Michigan also does not have any state-level payroll tax on employees (unlike some states with disability insurance funds). FICA is therefore the only payroll deduction that applies to overtime earnings and is unaffected by the OBBBA or Michigan's conformity.
For the Detroit auto worker earning $14,000 in overtime, FICA on the overtime portion: $14,000 × 7.65% = $1,071 — this cost does not change under any tax scenario.
The OBBBA deduction is claimed on the annual federal income tax return (Form 1040), not automatically withheld. However, the IRS may issue updated W-4 guidance allowing workers to adjust their withholding to account for the anticipated deduction, reducing over-withholding during the year. Michigan workers who regularly log substantial overtime should consult their employer's payroll department and potentially update their federal W-4 and Michigan withholding certificate (MI W-4) to reflect the expected annual deduction and avoid an overpayment situation at filing.
While Michigan's starting point is federal AGI, the Michigan return (Form MI-1040) includes its own Schedule 1 with Michigan-specific additions and subtractions. Common items include:
The Michigan personal exemption and other subtractions are applied after the OBBBA-reduced federal AGI is imported, so they stack on top of the overtime deduction benefit rather than replacing it. Michigan workers claiming the standard personal exemption effectively reduce their Michigan taxable income further beyond what the OBBBA achieves.
Michigan enacted an enhanced state Earned Income Tax Credit in 2023, raising the Michigan EITC to 15% of the federal EITC. For overtime workers in lower income brackets who also qualify for the federal EITC, the Michigan EITC provides an additional offset against Michigan income tax liability. This benefit can be particularly meaningful for workers whose total income (including overtime) remains in the EITC-eligible range and who have qualifying dependents.
Source: Michigan Department of Treasury
The OBBBA overtime deduction is a temporary provision. Under the current legislation, it expires on December 31, 2028 — covering tax years 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. Unless Congress passes legislation to extend or make the deduction permanent before that date, the benefit disappears for tax year 2029 and beyond.
Because Michigan's benefit is delivered through federal AGI conformity rather than standalone state legislation, Michigan workers face a dual sunset in 2028:
In contrast, states like Texas and Florida that have no state income tax retain a permanent structural advantage after 2028 regardless of what Congress does.
The OBBBA is a flagship Republican legislative priority. Supporters in Congress have argued for making the overtime deduction permanent. However, the provision's sunset was included in the bill's budget scoring to limit its 10-year cost. Whether extension occurs depends on the 2026 and 2028 Congressional elections and the legislative environment. Michigan workers — particularly UAW members who lobbied for overtime tax relief — have significant political incentive to engage with their representatives on extension.
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