Virginia Bonus Tax Calculator
Data compiled and maintained by Edmond Daher · Updated 2026-08-02
Virginia bonus tax calculator
Wondering why your Virginia bonus shrank so much? It's withholding, a flat prepayment, not a higher rate on bonuses. Virginia adds a flat 5.75% on top of the 22% federal prepayment and FICA. Type in your salary and bonus above and the tool lines up today's withholding against your true tax, with the refund or balance due. Everything runs in your browser.
Short version: in Virginia, a bonus paid on its own is withheld at the flat federal 22%, 5.75% for Virginia, and 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.
Estimate only, not tax advice — terms.
Why your Virginia bonus looks over-taxed — and mostly isn't
A bonus doesn't trigger a different tax — just a flat withholding up front. When you file, it's folded into your income and taxed at your marginal rate through the normal brackets. Under 22% (most people) the extra comes back as a refund; over 22% you owe the difference. For the $9,000 bonus below, the flat withholding runs roughly $670 light, leaving that to owe. Only FICA (7.65%) is a true tax that never returns.
Virginia and Maryland, North Carolina and District of Columbia: a bonus-withholding comparison
Take a $10,000 bonus for someone on $70,000 and compare Virginia with bordering Maryland, North Carolina and District of Columbia:
| State | Bonus method | State withheld | Total withheld |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | flat 5.75% | $575 | $3,540 |
| Maryland | flat 6.5% | $650 | $3,615 |
| North Carolina | flat 4.09% | $409 | $3,374 |
| District of Columbia | aggregate method | $750 | $3,715 |
Total combines the 22% federal, the state line, and FICA. Single-filer estimates — your real income tax settles when you file.
A $9,000 bonus on a $215,000 Virginia salary: withheld vs. actually owed
Take a single filer in Virginia earning $215,000 who gets a $9,000 bonus on its own check:
- On the check: the employer holds back $1,980 for federal, $518 Virginia, and $211 for FICA — $2,709 in all (30.1% of the bonus), leaving about $6,291.
- At tax time: the bonus's actual income tax works out near $3,168 (federal $2,650 + Virginia $518) — and FICA is the same $211 as before.
- The gap: the 22% withheld falls short of your real rate, leaving about $670 to owe at filing. Either way, the $211 FICA is final and won't come back.
Illustrative single-filer figures from this page's engine; your result depends on your total income and filing status.
Virginia bonus withholding, piece by piece
Federal: a flat 22% prepayment. Paid on its own check, a bonus has federal income tax withheld at a flat 22% (IRS Publication 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.
Virginia: flat 5.75%. Virginia withholds a flat 5.75% of a separately paid bonus for state income tax, per Virginia Tax employer withholding instructions.
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 Virginia paycheck calculator is the tool to use.
Virginia bonus withholding across three bonus sizes
Here's the Virginia bite on a $5,000, $25,000, and $100,000 bonus (single filer, $70,000 salary):
| Bonus | Federal | Virginia | FICA | Total | % of bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $1,100 | $288 | $383 | $1,770 | 35.4% |
| $25,000 | $5,500 | $1,438 | $1,913 | $8,850 | 35.4% |
| $100,000 | $22,000 | $5,750 | $7,650 | $35,400 | 35.4% |
Watch the percentage fall once Social Security maxes out; the income-tax slice trues up when you file regardless.
Virginia bonus tax FAQ
What is the Virginia bonus tax rate in 2026?
Virginia withholds 5.75% on a separately paid bonus, on top of the flat 22% federal rate (37% above $1,000,000/yr) and 7.65% FICA. That's withholding, not your final tax.
Do I get a refund on my Virginia bonus?
If 22% was more than your real rate, yes — the over-withheld income tax returns at filing. If your marginal rate tops 22%, you owe the shortfall. FICA doesn't come back either way.
Is there a special bonus tax rate in Virginia?
No. The 22% federal and the state supplemental rate are withholding defaults, not rates that apply only to bonuses. Your real tax is your ordinary marginal rate.
Does a bonus push my Virginia income into a higher bracket?
No. Brackets are marginal — only the dollars above each threshold are taxed higher. A bonus never re-taxes income you already earned.
Bonus tax calculators near Virginia
Virginia paycheck calculator · all state bonus tax calculators →
Sources
- IRS Publication 15 (2026) — Supplemental Wages (flat 22% / 37% above $1M)
- Virginia supplemental rate: Virginia Tax employer withholding instructions: flat 5.75%