Bonus Check Calc

Bonus Tax Calculator 2026

A separately paid bonus usually loses 22% to federal withholding and 7.65% to Social Security and Medicare, plus your state's supplemental rate — nothing in nine states, up to 11.70% in New York.

Bonus check calculator

Federal method
Paycheck details
Pay date, 401(k), year to date

Bonus tax calculator by state

Each state page applies that state's own 2026 supplemental-wage rule, with the agency source, a worked example and the details that change the answer.

Compare every state's method side by side

How much tax comes out of a bonus

Your employer withholds four things from a bonus check: federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% until your 2026 wages reach $184,500), Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000 in the year) and, in most states, state income tax. On a $5,000 bonus in Texas that leaves $3,517.50; in California $2,941.00, because California withholds 10.23% plus 1.3% SDI; for a New York City resident $2,698.40.

Federal income tax is usually a flat 22% when the bonus is paid separately and identified as a bonus. IRS Publication 15 also allows the aggregate method — adding the bonus to a regular paycheck and withholding as if the total were one paycheck — which can take noticeably more. Any part of your year's bonuses above $1 million is withheld at 37%, no matter what. The federal bonus rate guide walks through both.

The state line varies far more than the federal one. Some states set a flat bonus rate (North Carolina 4.09%, Missouri 4.7%, Minnesota 6.25%), some tie theirs to the federal choice (Kansas, Iowa, New Mexico), some require the aggregate method (Connecticut, Hawaii) and nine have no wage income tax at all. The state-by-state table lists all of them.

Common bonus tax questions

Are bonuses taxed at 40%?

Withholding on a bonus typically lands between about 30% (no-income-tax states) and 46% (a New York City resident) once federal, FICA and state lines are added, which is where the "40%" impression comes from. But withholding is a prepayment, not your tax rate: the bonus is taxed as ordinary income at your bracket when you file. If more was withheld than the bonus adds to your tax, the difference comes back as a refund — here is how to estimate it.

How much are bonuses taxed in North Carolina?

North Carolina withholds a flat 4.09% from a bonus in 2026. With 22% federal and FICA, a $5,000 bonus nets $3,313.00. See the North Carolina bonus calculator.

How are bonuses taxed in Missouri?

Missouri lets employers withhold a flat 4.7% from a separately paid bonus, so a $5,000 bonus nets $3,282.50 after federal withholding and FICA. Kansas City and St. Louis earnings taxes come on top. See the Missouri bonus calculator.

Can I lower the tax on my bonus?

Deferring part of the bonus into a 401(k) lowers federal and most state income tax withholding (but not Social Security or Medicare, and not Pennsylvania tax). The 2026 employee deferral limit is $24,500. Use the 401(k) field above to see the effect.

What gross bonus do I need to net a specific amount?

Switch the calculator to "Gross-up a net amount" and enter the net figure you want; it solves for the gross bonus using the same rules. The gross-up guide shows the formula.

Guides

All figures verified from IRS and state agency publications. See every source.