Most employers withhold $4,400 in federal income tax from a $20,000 bonus using the flat 22% percentage method, plus about $1,530 in FICA. That is withholding, not your final tax bill.
Take-home shown for a $85,000 base salary in Texas, single filer.
Estimated additional tax on the bonus, on a $85,000 base salary.
| State | Est. tax | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $5,930 | $14,070 |
| California | $7,790 | $12,210 |
| Florida | $5,930 | $14,070 |
| New York | $7,092 | $12,908 |
| Washington | $5,930 | $14,070 |
| Illinois | $6,920 | $13,080 |
A bonus stacks on top of salary, so it is taxed at your marginal rate. Shown for Texas.
| Base salary | You keep | Rate on bonus |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $15,720 | 21.4% |
| $85,000 | $14,070 | 29.7% |
| $150,000 | $13,670 | 31.7% |
Your employer will most likely withhold $4,400 in federal income tax using the 22% percentage method, plus about $1,530 in Social Security and Medicare. State withholding is on top of that. Withholding is a prepayment, not your final tax — the estimated liability on this page is usually the more useful number.
It usually is not taxed at a higher rate — it is withheld at a higher rate. The IRS percentage method applies a flat 22% to supplemental wages regardless of your bracket. If your marginal rate is lower than that, the excess comes back as a refund when you file.
On a $85,000 base salary in Texas, the estimated additional tax on a $20,000 bonus is $5,930, leaving about $14,070 — an effective rate of 29.7% on the bonus itself.
Yes. A bonus stacks on top of your salary, so it is taxed at your marginal rate. In Texas, the same $20,000 bonus leaves $15,720 on a $50,000 salary, $14,070 on a $85,000 salary, $13,670 on a $150,000 salary.
The percentage method is a flat prepayment. Your actual liability depends on total annual income, filing status, deductions, and credits. The higher 37% rate applies only once supplemental wages exceed $1,000,000 across the calendar year; this page models a single payment. State supplemental rules vary and are not modelled separately from annual liability.
Read the calculation methodology