Colorado Bonus Tax Calculator
Data compiled and maintained by Edmond Daher · Updated 2026-08-02
Colorado bonus tax calculator
In Colorado, a bonus is ordinary income — the slice that vanishes on payday is withholding, not a higher tax rate. Colorado has no separate bonus rate, so it withholds using the aggregate method (about 4.4%) on top of the 22% federal prepayment and FICA. Colorado also withholds paid family leave contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model. Put in your figures above to compare what's withheld now with your real tax at filing — and the refund or shortfall. Everything runs in your browser.
Quick answer: a separately paid bonus in Colorado is withheld at a flat 22% for federal income tax plus no separate Colorado rate — it's withheld as ordinary wages (about 4.4%), 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. Colorado also withholds paid family leave contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model.
Estimate only, not tax advice — terms.
Colorado bonus withholding across three bonus sizes
What's held back from three bonus sizes in Colorado (single filer, $70,000 salary):
| Bonus | Federal | Colorado | FICA | Total | % of bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $1,100 | $220 | $383 | $1,703 | 34.1% |
| $25,000 | $5,500 | $1,100 | $1,913 | $8,513 | 34.1% |
| $100,000 | $22,000 | $4,400 | $7,650 | $34,050 | 34.1% |
The share changes because Social Security ends at the wage base; the income tax reconciles on your return either way.
Colorado bonus withholding, piece by piece
The federal side is a flat prepayment. A bonus on its own check has 22% withheld for federal income tax (IRS Pub 15). Only the part of your yearly bonuses above $1,000,000 is withheld at 37%; everything under that stays a flat 22% — a shortcut, not a rate reserved for bonuses.
Colorado: the aggregate method. Colorado publishes no separate bonus rate, so a bonus is withheld as if it were ordinary wages. Because Colorado taxes income at a flat 4.4%, a separately paid bonus is effectively withheld near 4.4%. Colorado also withholds paid family leave 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. It reads the same in the "now" and "at tax time" columns because none of it comes back — just the income-tax slice is a prepayment that reconciles.
Need your normal take-home instead? Try the Colorado paycheck calculator.
Is Colorado's the aggregate method (~4.4%) bonus rate a "bonus tax"? No
"Bonus tax" is a nickname for over-withholding. The 22% is a flat prepayment; your bonus is ordinary income taxed at your marginal rate once the year's brackets are applied. When 22% overshoots your rate you're refunded; when it undershoots, the balance is due. Worked out here on a $14,000 bonus, you'd still owe about $1,170 when you file. Set aside the 7.65% FICA — that part is owed for good and never refunds.
Cross-border check: Colorado vs. Utah, Kansas and Wyoming on a bonus
A single filer earning $70,000 who gets a $10,000 bonus, in Colorado and neighboring Utah, Kansas and Wyoming:
| State | Bonus method | State withheld | Total withheld |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | aggregate (~4.4%) | $440 | $3,405 |
| Utah | aggregate (~4.45%) | $445 | $3,410 |
| Kansas | flat 5% | $500 | $3,465 |
| Wyoming | no state income tax | $0 | $2,965 |
Figures are the 22% federal plus state plus FICA for a single filer; the income tax you owe reconciles on your return.
A $14,000 bonus on a $215,000 Colorado salary: withheld vs. actually owed
Here's how a $14,000 bonus plays out for a single filer making $215,000 in Colorado:
- On the check: the employer holds back $3,080 for federal, $616 Colorado, and $329 for FICA — $4,025 in all (28.7% of the bonus), leaving about $9,975.
- The real bill: at filing the bonus is taxed roughly $4,866 in income tax (federal $4,250 + Colorado $616), with the identical $329 FICA on top.
- The gap: the 22% withheld falls short of your real rate, leaving about $1,170 to owe at filing. The $329 FICA doesn't move — that part is owed no matter what.
A single-filer illustration only — drop your real salary, bonus, and filing status into the tool above for your figure.
Colorado bonus tax FAQ
Does Colorado have a separate bonus withholding rate?
No. Colorado has no separate supplemental rate, so a bonus is withheld with the aggregate method — as if it were part of your regular wages, effectively near 4.4%.
Does Colorado tax bonuses more than regular pay?
No. There's no separate, higher tax on bonuses — a bonus is just withheld at a flat rate up front, then taxed like any income at your marginal rate.
How much is withheld from a bonus in Colorado for 2026?
On a separately paid bonus, Colorado takes about 4.4% (aggregate method), the federal side takes a flat 22% (37% beyond $1,000,000/yr), and FICA takes 7.65%. Those are withholding rates that settle up when you file — not a final tax. Colorado also withholds paid family leave contributions from wages, which this estimate does not model.
Will I get some of my Colorado bonus withholding back?
Often, yes — if your true marginal rate is below the 22% withheld, the difference refunds at filing; above 22%, you owe it. FICA is a true tax and never refunds.
Bonus tax calculators near Colorado
Colorado paycheck calculator · all state bonus tax calculators →
Sources
- IRS Publication 15 (2026) — Supplemental Wages (flat 22% / 37% above $1M)
- Colorado income-tax status & rate: see the Colorado paycheck calculator sources (state DOR, verified 2026-08-02).