California Bonus Tax Calculator 2026
California withholds 10.23% state tax on a bonus paid separately. Enter your bonus to see federal, Social Security, Medicare and California withholding, your bonus check after taxes, and what the bonus adds to your tax for the year.
Estimates the flat supplemental-wage method for a bonus paid separately from regular wages, using IRS Publication 15 (2026) and California's official withholding guidance. Your employer may use the aggregate method instead. Not tax advice.
Your California bonus
Used only for the $1,000,000 federal threshold where withholding rises to 37%.
Bonus in another state? Use the bonus tax calculator with a state picker.
Estimated bonus check after withholding
$3,006.00
$1,994 withheld from $5,000 gross
- Federal income tax (22% flat method)
- $1,100.00
- Social Security (6.2%)
- $310.00
- Medicare (1.45%)
- $72.50
- California supplemental withholding (10.23%)
- $511.50
- Total withheld
- $1,994.00
Estimated added annual tax from this payment
- Federal income tax (top bracket 22%)
- $1,100.00
- Social Security and Medicare
- $382.50
- California income tax
- $422.57
- Payment after estimated annual tax
- $3,094.93
Modeled withholding is about $89 above the estimated added annual tax. This difference can affect your overall tax balance; it is not a refund or amount-due forecast.
California bonus tax rate for 2026
10.23% for bonuses and stock options paid separately; 6.6% for other supplemental wages. Source: DE 44 California Employer's Guide (Rev. 52, 4-26).
California is one of the few states with two supplemental rates: 10.23% on bonuses and stock options, and 6.6% on other supplemental wages such as commissions, severance and vacation payouts.
Example: $5,000 bonus in California
A single filer earning $60,000 who receives a $5,000 bonus in a separate check:
| Federal income tax (22%) | $1,100 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $310 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $73 |
| California withholding (10.23%) | $512 |
| Bonus after withholding | $3,006 |
On the full-year return the bonus adds about $1,321 in tax, with the top dollar in the 12% federal bracket, so withholding of $1,994 is about $673 more than the tax the bonus adds.
Sources and limitations
Federal withholding follows IRS Publication 15 (2026), section 7. The annual comparison uses the brackets and standard deductions on our methodology page and treats your salary as already paid. It does not model the aggregate method, pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) deferrals, credits or other income.
Related calculators
Bonus tax in other states: Texas, New York, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia, Washington.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax is taken out of a bonus in California?
On a $5,000 bonus paid separately, the flat federal method withholds $1,100 (22%), plus $310 Social Security and $73 Medicare. California withholds $512 at 10.23%, leaving about $3,006.
Does California tax bonuses differently from salary?
On your California return, a bonus is wages and is taxed like salary. Only withholding can differ: 10.23% for bonuses and stock options paid separately; 6.6% for other supplemental wages.
What is the federal bonus tax rate in 2026?
Employers may withhold a flat 22% federal income tax on a separately paid bonus when income tax was withheld from your regular wages this year or last. Supplemental wages above $1,000,000 in a year are withheld at 37%. Employers can instead use the aggregate method, adding the bonus to regular pay.
Will I get some of my bonus tax back?
Possibly. Withholding is a prepayment. If your top federal bracket is 10% or 12%, the flat 22% usually withholds more than the bonus adds to your tax, and the difference can come back in your refund. At 24% and above, flat withholding can fall short.