Bonus Tax Calculator 2026 — What You Actually Take Home

The Bonus Tax Estimator is a free, private browser tool that shows what you actually keep from a work bonus after federal supplemental withholding, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Enter the bonus and your salary and it returns your net amount — on a $10,000 bonus in a no-income-tax state, roughly $7,035 lands in your account.

How Bonus Taxes Work in the US

Bonuses are classified as "supplemental wages" by the IRS. Employers can withhold taxes using two methods: the flat rate method (22% federal on bonuses up to $1 million) or the aggregate method (adding the bonus to your regular paycheck and withholding based on the combined amount).

Flat Rate vs Aggregate: Which Is Better?

The flat rate method (22%) is simpler and often results in lower withholding for high earners whose marginal rate exceeds 22%. The aggregate method may over-withhold because it temporarily treats the bonus + salary as your normal pay rate. Either way, you will reconcile at tax filing time.

Why Your Bonus Looks Over-Taxed — Withholding Is Not Your Tax Bill

The most common complaint about bonuses — "they took nearly half of it" — is a withholding effect, not a tax rate. The flat 22% supplemental rate is a prepayment, not a final tax. If your actual marginal rate is 12%, the extra 10% withheld comes back as a larger refund when you file. If your marginal rate is 32% or 35%, the 22% flat rate under-withholds and you will owe the difference in April. Nothing about receiving income as a bonus rather than salary changes the tax you ultimately owe on it; only the timing of the withholding changes. The one real exception is the $1 million threshold: supplemental wages above $1 million in a calendar year are withheld at 37%, the top rate, and that portion is mandatory rather than elective. Source: IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, 2026.

Worked Example: A $10,000 Bonus on a $90,000 Salary (2026)

Take a $10,000 bonus paid separately to someone earning $90,000, using the flat supplemental method and 2026 figures. Federal supplemental withholding at 22% takes $2,200. Social Security at 6.2% takes $620 — the full bonus is subject to it, because $100,000 of combined wages is below the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare at 1.45% takes $145; the additional 0.9% Medicare surtax does not apply, since combined wages stay under the $200,000 single threshold. Total withheld is $2,965, leaving $7,035 in a state with no income tax. In California, add roughly 10.23% state supplemental withholding — another $1,023 — for a net near $6,012. At filing, this taxpayer's actual federal marginal rate on the bonus is 22%, so the federal withholding lands almost exactly right and there is no large refund or bill. Updated 2026-08-14.

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Your bonus amount, salary, and all tax calculations are processed entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server, stored in any database, or shared with any party.

2026 Figures This Calculator Uses

Every threshold below is the 2026 value, so the result reflects the year your bonus is actually paid rather than a stale table. The federal standard deduction for 2026 is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly and $24,150 for head of household, per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Single-filer brackets run 10% to $12,400, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600, then 37%. The Social Security wage base is $184,500, and the additional 0.9% Medicare surtax begins at $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for joint filers.

Filing status only changes the answer under the aggregate method, but there it changes it a lot. The flat supplemental rate is a single 22% for everyone, so status is irrelevant. The aggregate method instead runs your salary plus bonus through the bracket table for your status — and 2026 married-filing-jointly brackets are roughly twice as wide as single brackets — so the same $10,000 bonus on the same salary can be withheld very differently depending on the box your employer has on file. Select your real status above before comparing the two methods, and check that your W-4 reflects it. Last reviewed 21 August 2026.

Getting the Most from This Tool

Run the same bonus through both withholding methods before you assume the number on your payslip is wrong — the gap between them is usually the whole explanation. Then compare the tool's total against what your employer actually withheld: a difference means either your W-4 status is out of date or your employer used the other method. Remember the result is withholding, not your final tax, so treat an over-withheld bonus as a refund you have already funded rather than money lost. All processing happens in your browser, so your salary and bonus stay private and the page keeps working offline after the first load.