Bonus tax calculator
A bonus stacks on top of your wages, so it is taxed at your marginal rate. See that estimate next to the flat rate your employer may withhold, and why the two differ.
Worked examples
Computed by the same engine as the calculator above, on 2026 rules reviewed through 2026-08-09. Use the tool for your own figures.
A $5,000 bonus on a $75,000 salary
A bonus is usually WITHHELD for income tax at a flat supplemental rate, then TAXED at your actual marginal rate. FICA is withheld separately, at the ordinary rates, on top of that.
| Bonus | $5,000 |
| Federal income tax withheld at 22% | $1,100 |
| Federal income tax actually owed on it | $1,100 |
| Social Security and Medicare | $383 |
| Added to take-home | $3,518 |
Single filer in Texas, which levies no wage income tax, so this isolates the federal and FICA effect. At this salary the flat 22% rate happens to match the marginal bracket, so the income tax withheld is about right. It is the coincidence, not the rule — the two diverge at any salary in a different bracket.
A $60,000 bonus, same salary
A bonus large enough to cross a bracket keeps a slightly smaller share, because only the part above the threshold meets the higher rate. The effect is real but modest — well under a percentage point here — which is worth seeing plainly rather than being told a large bonus is "taxed much harder". What does change materially is withholding: the flat rate is fixed until $1,000,000, so a large bonus is where withholding and liability genuinely part company.
| Bonus | $60,000 |
| Added to take-home | $41,946 |
| Share kept | 69.9%, against 70.3% on the $5,000 bonus |
Single filer in Texas, which levies no wage income tax, so this isolates the federal and FICA effect. Above $1,000,000 in a year, supplemental withholding rises to 37% on the excess.
Common questions
Why was my bonus taxed at a higher rate than my salary?
It probably was not taxed at a higher rate — it was WITHHELD at one. Employers commonly apply a flat 22% federal rate to supplemental wages regardless of your own bracket, and FICA comes out on top of that. If your marginal rate is below 22% the excess is refunded at filing; if it is above, the bonus is under-withheld and the balance is owed. Neither changes the tax due, only when it is settled.
Can I avoid the flat withholding rate?
Not directly, but it is not a cost. Withholding is a prepayment, so over-withholding is refunded and under-withholding is settled at filing. Adjusting Form W-4 changes withholding across your regular pay and can offset a bonus that was over-withheld, without changing what is ultimately owed.
Is a bonus subject to Social Security and Medicare?
Yes, on the same terms as salary. Social Security at 6.2% applies until total wages for the year reach $184,500; Medicare at 1.45% applies with no ceiling, plus an additional 0.9% above $200,000 for a single filer.
Related calculators
Overtime tax
Overtime pay under the 2026 deduction, and what survives the phase-out.
Tips tax
Whether your occupation qualifies for the no-tax-on-tips deduction.
Commission pay
Commission treated as supplemental wages, and what that changes.
Back pay
A lump sum covering past periods, taxed in the year it is paid.
Severance pay
Severance is wages: what actually lands after withholding.
PTO payout
Unused leave paid out at separation, and how it is withheld.
RSU vesting
What a vesting tranche costs you at the supplemental rate.
Wage garnishment
The most a creditor can take from a paycheck once federal and state limits are applied.
All calculators — every tool on the site, grouped by what it answers.