California Bonus Tax Calculator
Data compiled and maintained by Edmond Daher · Updated 2026-08-02
California bonus tax calculator
2025 brackets (2026 pending). California has not published its 2026 income tax brackets yet, so figures worked out from those brackets use its 2025 ones. We update this page when the state publishes.
A bonus in California is taxed like any wages; the chunk missing on payday is up-front withholding, nothing more. California adds 10.23% on bonuses (6.6% on other supplemental pay) on top of the 22% federal prepayment and FICA. California also withholds disability insurance contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model. Enter your numbers to see what's held back now beside what the bonus will really cost when you file, and your refund or amount owed. Everything runs in your browser.
The quick take: a stand-alone California bonus has a flat 22% federal tax withheld, 10.23% for California (6.6% on non-bonus supplemental pay), plus 7.65% FICA. Treat it as money on account. The real tax is your marginal rate, reconciled on your return; the tool above shows the gap either way. California also withholds disability insurance contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model.
Estimate only, not tax advice — terms.
The "California bonus tax" myth, and what's really withheld
Nothing about a bonus changes the tax rate — it changes the withholding. The bonus is stacked onto your other income and taxed at your marginal rate, not at a bonus-only rate. Below a 22% real rate you get money back; above it, you settle the gap at filing. In this page's $14,000 example, about $907 of what's withheld is really over-payment you'd get back. Just the 7.65% FICA slice is a real tax you won't get back.
Cross-border check: California vs. Nevada, Oregon and Arizona on a bonus
Side by side, a $70,000 earner's $10,000 bonus in California versus Nevada, Oregon and Arizona:
| State | Bonus method | State withheld | Total withheld |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 10.23% / 6.6% | $1,023 | $3,988 |
| Nevada | no state income tax | $0 | $2,965 |
| Oregon | flat 8% | $800 | $3,765 |
| Arizona | aggregate (~2.5%) | $250 | $3,215 |
Totals stack federal 22%, state, and FICA for a single filer — the actual income tax lands when the return is filed.
What a $14,000 bonus really costs on a $61,000 California income
Here's how a $14,000 bonus plays out for a single filer making $61,000 in California:
- On the check: the employer holds back $3,080 for federal, $1,432 California, and $1,071 for FICA — $5,583 in all (39.9% of the bonus), leaving about $8,417.
- The real bill: at filing the bonus is taxed roughly $3,605 in income tax (federal $2,530 + California $1,075), with the identical $1,071 FICA on top.
- The gap: the flat 22% over-shoots your real rate by about $907, so that much is a refund later. Either way, the $1,071 FICA is final and won't come back.
A single-filer illustration only — drop your real salary, bonus, and filing status into the tool above for your figure.
The three cuts on a California bonus: federal, state, and FICA
Federal withholding on a bonus. The IRS default holds back a flat 22% for federal income tax when the bonus is separate from your regular pay (IRS Pub 15). It rises to a mandatory 37% on any bonus dollars past $1,000,000 in a year — the third bracket's rate as a default, not a bonus tax.
California: two rates. California withholds 10.23% on bonuses and stock options, and 6.6% on other supplemental wages (California EDD DE 44 / DE 231PS). California also withholds disability insurance contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model. The published rate does not say whether a separately paid bonus carries it, so your pay stub is the authority there.
FICA: withheld and owed. Social Security and Medicare take 7.65% of the bonus — a true tax, not a prepayment. Neither piece refunds at filing, so both columns of the tool show it unchanged; the income-tax withholding is the only part that trues up.
For everyday pay instead of a bonus, the California paycheck calculator is the tool to use.
What California holds back on a $5,000, $25,000, or $100,000 bonus
What's held back from three bonus sizes in California (single filer, $70,000 salary):
| Bonus | Federal | California | FICA | Total | % of bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $1,100 | $512 | $383 | $1,994 | 39.9% |
| $25,000 | $5,500 | $2,558 | $1,913 | $9,970 | 39.9% |
| $100,000 | $22,000 | $10,230 | $7,650 | $39,880 | 39.9% |
The rate drifts as Social Security hits its annual cap, but the income-tax part still reconciles at filing.
California bonus tax FAQ
What rate does California withhold on a bonus in 2026?
California's supplemental withholding is 10.23% (6.6% on other supplemental pay), added to the flat 22% federal prepayment (37% on bonus pay over $1,000,000/yr) and 7.65% FICA. Only the income-tax portion is a prepayment; it trues up at your real rate. California also withholds disability insurance contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model.
Does my California bonus ever come back at tax time?
The income-tax part can. If the flat 22% over-withheld relative to your real marginal rate, the excess is refunded; if you're a high earner above 22%, you pay more. FICA is never refunded.
Is a California bonus taxed differently from my salary?
Not in the end. It may be withheld differently (a flat rate up front), but at filing a bonus is taxed exactly like the rest of your income, at your marginal rate.
Does California withhold a different rate on stock options?
California uses 10.23% for bonuses and stock options, and 6.6% for other supplemental wages. Pick the payment type in the calculator to switch.
Bonus tax calculators near California
California paycheck calculator · all state bonus tax calculators →
Sources
- IRS Publication 15 (2026) — Supplemental Wages (flat 22% / 37% above $1M)
- California supplemental rate: California EDD DE 44 / DE 231PS (2026)