Tax year 2026 · Federal supplemental + FICA + state
Bonus Tax Calculator (2026)
See exactly how much of your bonus lands in your account after the flat 22% withholding, FICA and state tax — and how much of it you get back when you file.
Sets the marginal bracket your bonus is really taxed at.
Filing status
State
You take home from your $10,000 bonus
$6,105
Payroll withholds about $3,895 (39%) — a flat 22% federal rate plus FICA and state tax. But your bonus's true tax is $4,025 (40.3%).
Withholding vs actual tax
The flat 22% rate under-withheld by about $130, because your bonus stacks into a higher bracket than 22%. Expect a smaller refund or a balance due at filing — set some aside, or increase withholding via a new W-4 if you want to avoid a surprise.
What payroll withholds now
Bonuses are "supplemental wages." Employers usually withhold federal tax at a flat 22% (37% on the part above $1,000,000 in a year) plus FICA, and state withholding varies — a few states (e.g. California ~10.23%) set their own supplemental rate, while this tool estimates state withholding at your marginal state rate. Withholding is not your final tax: your true tax on the bonus is your marginal rate, settled on Form 1040. 2026 IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets, FICA and state rates. General information, not tax advice.
Why your bonus looks so heavily taxed
The shock when a bonus hits your account comes from withholding, not the tax itself. The IRS classifies bonuses as supplemental wages, and employers almost always withhold federal tax on them at a flat 22%(rising to 37% on any amount above $1,000,000 in a year). Add FICA — 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare — and state withholding, and 30–40% of a bonus can disappear before it reaches you. That feels punitive, but it's a prepayment, not a final bill.
Your actualtax on the bonus is your marginal rate — the rate on your last dollars of income — reconciled when you file Form 1040. If your marginal rate is below the 22% that was withheld, the difference comes back as a bigger refund. If it's above 22%, you'll owe a little more. This calculator shows both numbers side by side: what payroll takes now, and what the bonus really costs you, so the gap is never a surprise. It uses the same 2026 brackets as our federal income tax calculator.
The two ways employers withhold on bonuses
The percentage (flat-rate) method is the common one: the bonus is withheld at a flat 22% federal rate, regardless of your salary. Simple and predictable. The aggregate method lumps the bonus into a regular paycheck and withholds at your normal payroll rate from the W-4 tables — which can withhold more if the combined amount looks like a high annualized income. Either way, the method only affects how much is withheld up front; your final tax is identical. This tool models the standard 22% flat method, which covers the large majority of bonuses.
FICA and state tax still apply
Beyond federal income tax, a bonus is subject to FICA — 6.2% Social Security (until your total wages for the year hit the $184,500 cap, after which it stops) and 1.45% Medicare with no cap, plus an extra 0.9% Medicare on wages above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint. State taxvaries widely: nine states withhold nothing, while a handful set a specific supplemental rate (California, for instance, uses about 10.23% for bonuses). This calculator estimates state withholding at your marginal state rate and computes FICA exactly, since FICA has no refund gap — it's the same whether withheld now or at filing.
How to keep more of your bonus
You can't change the tax rate, but you can change when and how the income is taxed. Routing part of a bonus into a traditional 401(k) or HSA shields it from income tax this year (not FICA) and invests it — see the long-run effect in our 401(k) calculator. If you have a choice of timing, a bonus paid in a lower-income year is taxed at a lower marginal rate. And because the flat 22% often over-withholds, the simplest "win" for many earners is just recognising that some of it returns as a refund — estimate that with the tax refund estimator.
Worked example: a $10,000 bonus on an $80,000 salary (single, Texas)
What payroll withholds. Federal supplemental at 22% = $2,200. FICA at 7.65% = $765. Texas has no state tax, so total withholding is $2,965 — leaving $7,035 in your account, an apparent 29.7% hit.
The true tax.On an $80,000 salary, the $10,000 bonus sits in the 22% federal bracket, so its real federal income tax is about $2,200 — plus the same $765 FICA. True tax ≈ $2,965. Here the flat rate matches almost exactly, so there's little refund gap.
Where the gap appears. Change the salary to $45,000 and the same $10,000 bonus is largely taxed at 12%, not 22% — so the flat withholding over-collects by roughly $1,000, which returns as a bigger refund. Raise the salary to $250,000 and the bonus falls in the 32–35% bracket, so 22% under-withholds and you'll owe more. That salary-dependent gap is exactly what this calculator surfaces — adjust the inputs above to see yours.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my bonus do I actually get to keep?
For most people, roughly 60–75% lands in your account after withholding. Employers withhold federal tax on bonuses at a flat 22%, plus 7.65% FICA and any state tax — so a $10,000 bonus commonly nets around $6,800–$7,000 up front. But that's withholding, not your final tax. If your marginal rate is below 22%, you get some back at filing; if it's above, you may owe a little more. Enter your salary and state above to see your real take-home and the gap.
Why was my bonus taxed at 22% (or 40%)?
It wasn't taxed at 22% — it was withheld at 22%. The IRS lets employers withhold federal tax on bonuses and other supplemental wages at a flat 22% rate, separate from your regular paycheck. Add FICA (7.65%) and state tax and the total bite can look like 30–40%, which is why a bonus feels heavily taxed. Your actual tax is your marginal rate, reconciled when you file. If too much was withheld, the excess comes back as a refund.
Is bonus income taxed higher than regular salary?
No. Bonuses are taxed at exactly the same rates as ordinary income once you file your return — there is no special 'bonus tax.' The only difference is withholding: the flat 22% supplemental rate can be higher or lower than your true marginal rate, which is what creates the refund-or-owe gap at tax time. A bonus can nudge part of your income into a higher bracket, but only the dollars in that bracket are taxed more, never your whole income.
What is the supplemental wage withholding rate for 2026?
For 2026 the federal flat rate on supplemental wages — bonuses, commissions, RSUs, severance, overtime paid separately — is 22% on cumulative supplemental pay up to $1,000,000 in the year, and 37% on any amount above $1,000,000. These rates come from IRS Publication 15 and were unchanged by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. FICA and state withholding apply on top. Employers can alternatively use the 'aggregate method,' which withholds at your regular paycheck rate.
How can I pay less tax on my bonus?
You can't change the tax rate, but you can defer or shelter the income. Directing part of a bonus into a traditional 401(k) or HSA reduces the income tax on it (though not FICA), and the money grows for retirement. Timing matters too: a bonus paid in a lower-income year is taxed at a lower marginal rate. And remember the 22% withholding is often more than your real tax — so rather than 'paying less,' many people simply get some back at filing. Model the 401(k) route with our 401(k) calculator.
Will my bonus push me into a higher tax bracket?
Possibly for the top slice — but that's rarely as bad as it sounds. Tax is marginal, so if a bonus pushes you from the 22% into the 24% bracket, only the dollars above the threshold are taxed at 24%; everything below stays at its old rate. Your take-home always rises with a bonus. This calculator stacks your bonus on top of your salary and shows the true marginal tax it triggers, so you can see the real effect rather than guessing.
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