— Salary & Income
Bonus Calculator
Calculate a work bonus and what actually reaches you. Enter salary plus a bonus percentage or flat amount, with optional performance multiplier or part-year proration, to see bonus pay, total compensation, and take-home after withholding.
Bonus amount
$15,000
- Net (take-home) bonus
- $10,552.50
- Total compensation
- $115,000
- Bonus as % of total comp
- 13.04%
- Federal withholding (22%)
- $3,300
- FICA (Social Security + Medicare)
- $1,147.50
- Effective withholding rate
- 29.65%
Try: 15% bonus on $100k, $10,000 flat bonus, 20% target at 1.2× performance, 10% bonus, joined mid-year (6 mo)
— Bonus → net
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bonus | $15,000 |
| − Federal withholding | $3,300 |
| − FICA | $1,147.50 |
| = Net bonus | $10,552.50 |
— How it works
Bonus = salary × bonus% (or a flat amount) × performance multiplier × (months worked ÷ 12). Take-home applies the supplemental method: 22% federal (37% over $1M) + FICA + a flat state rate.
Sizing the bonus
A bonus is usually quoted one of two ways: as a percentage of your base salary (“15% target”) or as a flat figure (“$10,000”). On top of that, two things often adjust it. A performance multiplier scales the target — pay out at 120% of target and a $15,000 bonus becomes $18,000; at 80%, $12,000. And proration applies if you didn’t work the whole year: join in July and a full-year bonus is roughly halved. This calculator combines all of them, then shows the bonus as a share of your total compensation.
Worked example — $100,000 salary, 15% bonus: Bonus $15,000 · total comp $115,000 (bonus is ~13%). Federal 22% ($3,300) + FICA ($1,148) → take-home ≈ $10,553 — you keep about 70%.
What you actually keep
Bonuses are “supplemental wages”, and most employers withhold federal tax on them at a flat 22% (37% on anything over $1M in a year) rather than at your normal rate. FICA (Social Security + Medicare) comes out too, and many states apply their own flat supplemental rate. That’s why a bonus often lands about 30–40% lighter than the headline figure — the take-home here reflects that withholding.
Withholding isn’t your final tax
The 22% is what’s withheld now, not what the bonus ultimately costs you. At year-end the bonus is just ordinary income — if your marginal rate is below 22% you get some back as a refund; above it, you owe the difference. To see that withholding-versus-actual-tax picture (the flat method vs the aggregate method, and the year-end reconciliation), use the Bonus Tax calculator. This page is about sizing the bonus and its immediate take-home.
— Reader questions
How much of my bonus do I actually take home?
Typically 60–70%. A $15,000 bonus has 22% federal ($3,300) and FICA (~$1,150) withheld, leaving about $10,550 — before any state supplemental tax. Higher state rates lower it further.
How is a bonus as a percentage of salary calculated?
Multiply your base salary by the bonus percentage: a 15% bonus on $100,000 is $15,000. A performance multiplier scales that (1.2× = $18,000), and proration cuts it for a partial year.
Why is 22% withheld from my bonus?
Bonuses are supplemental wages, and the IRS flat method withholds federal tax on them at 22% (37% above $1M). It’s a withholding convenience, not a special tax rate — the bonus is taxed as ordinary income when you file.
How do I calculate a prorated bonus?
Multiply the full-year bonus by months worked ÷ 12. Join in July (6 months) and a $15,000 full-year bonus prorates to about $7,500. Enter your months worked to apply it.
Is the 22% my final tax on the bonus?
No — it’s withholding. Your actual tax depends on your marginal rate, reconciled at filing. The Bonus Tax calculator shows the difference between what’s withheld and what you really owe.