Calculator › Bonus tax calculator
Enter your salary and bonus to see how much of the bonus you keep after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax.
Rules reviewed November 2026.
The calculator figures your tax twice: once on your salary alone, and once on your salary plus the bonus. The difference is the tax caused by the bonus, which is the honest answer to "how much do I keep". It uses the 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction, the Social Security and Medicare rules, and the income tax rules of the state you choose.
Employers usually withhold bonuses with the flat percentage method: 22% federal income tax on supplemental wages up to $1 million, plus FICA and any state tax. That is only a prepayment. Your actual tax depends on your total income and bracket when you file, so the withholding can be higher or lower than the real tax. This is why a bonus can seem heavily taxed on the day it arrives.
A single filer earning $75,000 in Texas who receives a $10,000 bonus keeps about $7,035. In California the same bonus leaves about $6,054, because California taxes it too. Read how bonuses are taxed for the full explanation.
The tool assumes the bonus is your only extra income, ignores local taxes, and does not model state-specific supplemental withholding rates. It is an estimate, not tax advice.
No. A bonus is taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate. Withholding on a bonus often uses a flat 22% federal rate, which can be higher or lower than your real rate, but the difference is settled when you file.
The IRS flat method for supplemental wages is 22% up to $1 million of supplemental wages in a year, and 37% above that. Employers may instead combine the bonus with regular pay and use the withholding tables.
Put part of it into a traditional 401(k), where contributions reduce taxable income up to the annual limit. A health savings account contribution can also help if you are eligible.