Bonus Tax Calculator
Your bonus is withheld at a flat 22%, but your real tax on it depends on your bracket. This shows the gap.
How it's calculated
When you get a bonus, your employer treats it as supplemental wages and withholds a flat 22%, no matter your actual tax rate. That flat rate is a default, not a real calculation of what you owe.
Your real tax on the bonus is the extra federal income tax it adds on top of your other income, at your marginal bracket. Take someone with $150,000 of other income who gets a $50,000 bonus. A flat 22% withholds $11,000, but the bonus actually lands in the 24% bracket and creates $12,000 of tax. That leaves a $1,000 shortfall to settle at filing.
If your marginal bracket is above 22%, you tend to owe the difference in April. If it is below 22%, the flat rate over-withholds and you get some back. Either way, the number on your pay stub is not the final story.
Assumptions
- Bonuses are supplemental wages, withheld at a flat 22% federal rate, or 37% on the portion above $1M. — IRS supplemental wage rules
- Real tax is the extra federal income tax the bonus adds on top of your other income. State tax is not included.
Last updated: 2026-08-07 · Tax year 2026
These assumptions follow our general methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Why was so much withheld?
Flat supplemental withholding is a default, not your real tax rate. Depending on your bracket you may get some back or owe more.
Is my bonus taxed at a higher rate than my salary?
No. It is taxed the same way, as ordinary income. It only looks different because of the flat 22% withholding, which is not the same as the tax you actually owe.
What about very large bonuses?
Supplemental wages above $1 million in a year are withheld at 37% on the portion over that line. This calculator applies that higher rate automatically.