Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Net (take-home) bonus
$3,267.50
Total withheld
$1,732.50
Federal withholding (22%/37%)
$1,100.00
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)
$382.50
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How to use this
- 1Enter bonus amount ($).
- 2Enter state tax rate (%).
- 3Read your net (take-home) bonus on the right — it updates as you type.
- 4Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
The IRS allows employers to withhold bonuses at a flat 22% federal supplemental rate (37% above $1 million in a year) instead of your regular withholding bracket, plus standard FICA taxes (7.65% for Social Security and Medicare) and any state tax. This calculator applies those withholding rates to estimate your actual take-home bonus.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Bonus amount: 5000 $
- State tax rate: 5 %
Results
- Net (take-home) bonus: $3,267.50
- Total withheld: $1,732.50
- Federal withholding (22%/37%): $1,100.00
- FICA (Social Security + Medicare): $382.50
What each field means
Inputs
- Bonus amount ($)
- The bonus amount used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 5000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- State tax rate (%)
- The state tax rate used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 5 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–13 %.
Results
- Net (take-home) bonus
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total withheld
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Federal withholding (22%/37%)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- FICA (Social Security + Medicare)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How much tax will I owe on a bonus?
A $5,000 bonus withheld at the 22% federal supplemental rate plus 7.65% FICA and a 5% state rate has $1,732.50 withheld, leaving a net bonus of about $3,267.50.
Is the 22% withholding rate my final tax rate on the bonus?
No — 22% is just the employer withholding rate; when you file your return, your bonus income is taxed at your actual marginal bracket, meaning you could owe more or get some of the withholding back as a refund.
Why is my bonus taxed more than my regular paycheck?
It usually isn't taxed at a higher rate long-term, but the 22% flat supplemental withholding often exceeds your effective average tax rate on a single paycheck, making the withholding feel disproportionately large in that moment.
Does my employer have to use the flat 22% method?
No — employers can instead add the bonus to your regular paycheck and withhold at your normal marginal bracket rate (the 'aggregate method'), which can result in different withholding than the flat method depending on your income level.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
How Much Will I Take Home After Tax?
On a $70,000 salary with standard deductions, estimated take-home pay is roughly $54,600 a year, or about $4,550 a month.
How Much Will My Raise Be After Tax?
A $5,000 raise taxed at your 32% marginal rate (federal + FICA + state) nets about $3,400 in actual take-home increase.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). How Much Tax Will I Owe on a Bonus?. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-tax-will-i-owe-on-a-bonus
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-tax-will-i-owe-on-a-bonus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How Much Tax Will I Owe on a Bonus? — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [How Much Tax Will I Owe on a Bonus? — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-tax-will-i-owe-on-a-bonus) (2026).