California Bonus Tax Calculator
See how much will be withheld from a bonus paid in California, line by line, and what lands in your account.
A bonus paid separately from your regular pay is usually withheld at flat rates: 10.23% California and 22% federal (37% on supplemental wages over $1,000,000 in a year), plus 6.2% Social Security, 1.45% Medicare and 1.3% California SDI. That's about 41.18% in total before any cap applies. Withholding isn't your final tax; the difference is settled when you file.
Enter the bonus and what you've earned so far this year. Year-to-date wages decide whether the Social Security and Additional Medicare caps apply.
California Bonus Tax Calculator
Estimated Take-Home From This Bonus
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This is withholding, not your final tax. Any 401(k) or other pre-tax deductions your employer takes from the bonus would lower these amounts.
How this is calculated
California income tax. EDD's employer guide (DE 44) lets employers withhold a flat 10.23% on bonuses and stock options, and 6.6% on other supplemental wages, paid separately from regular pay. The flat rate ignores the allowances on your DE 4.
Federal income tax. IRS Publication 15 allows a flat 22% on supplemental wages. Once an employee's supplemental wages for the calendar year pass $1,000,000, the excess must be withheld at 37%, whatever the W-4 says. A bonus that crosses the line is split.
Social Security and Medicare. Social Security is 6.2% on wages up to the $184,500 wage base, so only the part of the bonus below the base is taxed. Medicare is 1.45% with no cap. Your employer must also withhold 0.9% Additional Medicare on the part of your wages from that employer over $200,000 in the year, whatever your filing status.
California SDI. 1.3% of all wages, with no wage cap.
When your employer uses a different method. If the bonus comes in the same check as your regular pay, DE 44 requires your employer to withhold on the total as regular wages, using the tables. Employers can also choose that method for a separate bonus. Either way, the tax you actually owe is worked out on your return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was so much taken out of my bonus?
Because a bonus paid on its own is usually withheld at flat rates that stack up: 22% federal, 10.23% California, 6.2% Social Security, 1.45% Medicare and 1.3% SDI. That's about 41.18% before any cap applies. Your regular paycheck uses withholding tables that assume the pay repeats all year, so the percentages look different.
What's the difference between California's 10.23% and 6.6% rates?
EDD's employer guide (DE 44) sets 10.23% for bonuses and stock options and 6.6% for other supplemental wages, such as overtime pay, commissions, sales awards, severance, and vacation pay. Both are flat withholding rates that ignore your DE 4 allowances.
Are bonuses taxed more than regular salary?
No. A bonus is income like any other, and your actual tax is figured on your total income when you file. Only the withholding is different. If the flat rates took out more than your real tax, you get the difference back as a refund. If they took out less, you owe it.
How are stock options withheld in California?
When stock option income counts as wages subject to California withholding, EDD's rate for it is the same 10.23% as for bonuses. Whether a particular option is wages depends on the type of option and the event. EDD's information sheet DE 231SK explains the rules.
How do I get over-withheld bonus tax back?
Through your tax returns. The federal and California withholding on your W-2 counts toward your total tax for the year, and any excess comes back as a refund. Social Security withheld over the wage base because you had more than one employer is claimed as a credit on your federal return. SDI isn't refundable that way, because California has no SDI wage cap.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not tax advice. Your employer's payroll method, pre-tax deductions and benefit elections change the actual amounts. Check your pay stub, and use the refund estimator to see how withholding compares with your final tax.