Qualified overtime without a monthly payroll add-on
TipFort lists $29/month (free during early access). Halftally is free for the totals and checks, with a $19 pass for W-2 season.
| Halftally | TipFort | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In your browser tab. No account. Your payroll file is never uploaded. | Online service with an account |
| Price | Free: the company code TT total and every check for any number of employees, with the first 5 employees itemized. Pro: $19 for 7 days, $15/month or $59/year. | $29/month; free during early access |
| Input | Raw shift, daily or weekly hours from a time clock or payroll export; groups them into FLSA workweeks, with pay codes, bonuses and pay dates. | See their site |
Honest take: TipFort also covers tips. Halftally only does qualified overtime, and keeps your payroll data on your own computer.
Competitor details checked on 2026-10-28 from their public pages: TipFort pricing. Prices change — check their site for the current offer. Product names are trademarks of their owners; we are not affiliated with them.
FAQ
Does Halftally do qualified tips?
No. Halftally covers qualified overtime (code TT) only.
What does Halftally do?
It reads hours from a time-clock or payroll export, groups them into FLSA workweeks, works out each week's regular rate, and totals ½ × regular rate × hours over 40 per employee — the qualified overtime compensation that 2026 Forms W-2 report in box 12 with code TT. It doesn't run payroll and doesn't file anything.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Your file is read by JavaScript in your browser tab and never sent to us or anyone else. Hours aren't stored, so closing the tab clears them. Your settings (year, workweek start, employer name) can be saved in this browser.
Which files can I use?
CSV, tab-separated or Excel with one row per shift, day or week: employee, date (or week ending), hours, and a rate or straight-time pay. Pay code, bonus, pay date and FLSA status are optional. Download the template to see the layout.
What's free?
Importing any number of employees, the company code TT total and every check, plus the first 5 employees itemized on screen and in print (with a footer). Pro itemizes every employee and exports the code TT CSV, the workweek CSV and the Excel workbook.
Is code TT capped at $12,500?
No. Report the full qualified overtime in box 12 code TT. The $12,500 limit ($25,000 joint) and the income phase-out apply only to the employee's deduction on their return (IRS FS-2026-13, Q10).
What isn't covered?
State daily overtime (not qualified), salaried non-exempt and fluctuating-workweek pay, 7(j) hospital and 7(k) public-safety schedules, and spreading a quarterly or annual bonus back over the weeks it covers. Put a bonus in the weeks it was earned, or adjust those weeks with your payroll provider.
Is this tax advice?
No. Halftally applies the method in IRS FS-2026-13 (updated August 6, 2026) and the FLSA regular-rate rules in 29 CFR part 778 to the data you provide. Ask your tax adviser or payroll provider what applies to you.