California Paycheck Calculator With Bonus: What You Actually Take Home
Use this California paycheck calculator with bonus to see what a bonus really adds to your check. California withholds 10.23% on a bonus paid on its own check, plus 1.3% SDI, while other supplemental pay such as commissions gets 6.6%.
Enter your salary and bonus, then switch between a separate bonus check and a bonus added to a regular paycheck to see how each method changes what lands in your account.
Your pay and bonus
Keep the bonus separate from your regular salary.
Bonus take-home pay
22% federal + 10.23% California bonus rate.
Withholding is not your final tax. The method your employer uses changes the size of your bonus check, not the tax you owe when you file.
AT A GLANCE
California bonus Example in One Chart
HOW BONUSES ARE WITHHELD
How a Bonus Is Taxed on Your California Paycheck
A bonus is a supplemental wage: ordinary income taxed at your normal rates when you file, but withheld under special rules. On a separate check, the usual California total is about 41.18% of the bonus.
Federal rules let employers withhold a flat 22% on a bonus paid separately from regular wages (37% on supplemental wages above $1 million a year), or add the bonus to a regular paycheck and withhold on the combined amount as if it were paid every period — the aggregate method, which usually holds back more.
California has two flat supplemental rates, and the label on the payment decides which one applies. EDD information sheet DE 231PS sets 10.23% for bonuses and stock options and 6.6% for other supplemental wages. Neither rate gives any credit for the allowances on your DE 4.
The flat rate is only an option when the bonus is paid apart from regular wages. When the two arrive together, DE 231PS tells the employer to add them up and treat the total as one wage payment for the regular pay period, which is what the "Added to a paycheck" setting above does. On a separate check, the employer may instead figure the tax on the bonus plus your latest regular pay and subtract what was already withheld.
SDI is the line people forget. California takes 1.3% of the whole bonus for State Disability Insurance under either method, and the wage cap ended on January 1, 2024, so a $50,000 bonus costs $650 in SDI even at a high salary. SDI is a separate program charge, so unlike income tax withholding it is not settled on Form 540.
THE TWO CALIFORNIA RATES
10.23% or 6.6%: Which California Bonus Rate Applies
The same $5,000 is withheld at $511.50 as a bonus and $330.00 as a commission. The $181.50 gap changes the size of the check, not the tax on your return.
| Payment type | Flat California rate | Withheld on $5,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus | 10.23% | $511.50 |
| Stock options | 10.23% | $511.50 |
| Commissions | 6.6% | $330.00 |
| Overtime pay | 6.6% | $330.00 |
| Sales awards | 6.6% | $330.00 |
| Back pay and retroactive raises | 6.6% | $330.00 |
| Vacation pay on top of regular wages | 6.6% | $330.00 |
2026 RATES
California Bonus Withholding Rates for 2026
Every line that can come out of a California bonus, with the rate the California paycheck calculator with bonus applies. Rates are for withholding; your final tax is set on your return.
| Withholding line | 2026 rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 22% flat | 37% above $1 million of supplemental wages |
| Social Security | 6.2% | Stops at the $184,500 wage base |
| Medicare | 1.45% | +0.9% on wages above $200,000 |
| California income tax | 10.23% | 10.23% California bonus rate |
| California SDI | 1.3% | No wage cap since January 1, 2024 |
| California local income tax | None | No city or county income tax |
WORKED EXAMPLES
California Paycheck Calculator With Bonus: Worked Examples
Bonus take-home pay on a $75,000 salary, single filer, bi-weekly pay, no bonus deferral. The regular bi-weekly paycheck at this salary is about $2,214.06 after tax.
| Bonus | California tax (flat) | Take-home (separate check) | Take-home (aggregate) | Aggregate withholding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $102 | $588 | $590 | 41.0% |
| $2,500 | $256 | $1,471 | $1,458 | 41.7% |
| $5,000 | $512 | $2,941 | $2,879 | 42.4% |
| $10,000 | $1,023 | $5,882 | $5,287 | 47.1% |
| $25,000 | $2,558 | $14,705 | $11,845 | 52.6% |
Reading the table: California's flat rate is high enough that the aggregate method can hold back slightly less on a small bonus, then far more as the bonus grows. Neither method changes the tax you owe. Any excess withholding comes back when you file your federal and California returns.
LARGE BONUSES
Why a Large California Bonus Changes With Your Salary
Social Security stops at the $184,500 wage base and Additional Medicare starts at $200,000, but California SDI never stops. Here is the same $50,000 bonus on a separate check at three salaries.
| Salary | Social Security | Medicare | SDI | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $3,100 | $725 | $650 | $29,410 |
| $150,000 | $2,139 | $725 | $650 | $30,371 |
| $200,000 | $0 | $1,175 | $650 | $32,060 |
KEEP MORE
How to Keep More of a California Bonus
A traditional 401(k) deferral from a bonus avoids both the 22% federal withholding and the 10.23% California withholding, which keeps about $322.30 per $1,000 deferred out of withholding. SDI, Social Security and Medicare still apply to the deferred amount.
- Ask HR whether your 401(k) election applies to bonuses, and whether the plan allows a separate bonus deferral rate.
- Do not count on an HSA for California savings. California has not adopted the federal HSA rules, so HSA contributions stay in California wages even when they lower federal withholding.
- Divide the California line on your bonus stub by the gross bonus. About 10.23% means the flat bonus rate; about 6.6% means payroll coded the payment as other supplemental pay.
- Leave your DE 4 alone for a one-time bonus. Any over-withholding is settled on Form 540.
USING THE CALCULATOR
How to Use This California Paycheck Calculator With Bonus
- Enter your annual gross salary and the bonus amount you expect.
- Pick your pay frequency — it decides how the aggregate method annualizes the combined check.
- Choose how the bonus is paid: a separate check or added to a regular paycheck.
- Set your federal filing status, your DE 4 total, and any 401(k) or pre-tax deductions.
- Compare both methods in the bottom panel to see which one matches your pay stub.
To tell which method your employer used, divide the federal tax withheld on the bonus line of your pay stub by the gross bonus. A result near 22% points to the flat method; a noticeably higher result points to the aggregate method, and the California paycheck calculator with bonus shows both side by side.
RELATED CALIFORNIA CALCULATORS
More California Paycheck Calculators
Start from the main California paycheck calculator for regular pay, check a California biweekly paycheck, or use one of the situation calculators below.
COMMON QUESTIONS
California bonus Paycheck Questions
How much is a bonus taxed in California?+
On a separate check, withholding is usually 22% federal, 10.23% California, 1.3% SDI and 7.65% Social Security and Medicare, about 41.18% in all. A $5,000 California bonus at those rates leaves about $2,941. The income tax part is a prepayment that gets settled when you file.
Why is the California bonus rate 10.23% when commissions are 6.6%?+
California law sets a higher flat rate for bonuses and stock options than for other supplemental wages. It only affects how much is held back on the check. Bonuses and commissions are both ordinary wages on Form 540, so the rate you see on the stub is not the rate you finally pay.
Is 10.23% the California tax I actually owe on my bonus?+
Not necessarily. It is a flat withholding rate rather than a tax bracket. Your bonus is added to your other income on Form 540 and taxed at your normal California rates. If 10.23% was more than the tax on that income, the difference comes back as a refund or a smaller balance due.
Does California SDI apply to bonuses?+
Yes. SDI applies to bonuses at the same 1.3% as regular wages, with no wage cap, so a $5,000 bonus pays $65 and a $50,000 bonus pays $650. EDD has announced a 1.4% rate for 2027, which would raise the charge on the same bonus next year.
Are stock options and RSUs withheld at the California bonus rate?+
DE 231PS names stock options at the 10.23% rate. It does not mention RSUs by name, so check the state line on your vest confirmation to see the rate your employer used. Either way, the final tax is set on your return rather than by the flat rate.
CALCULATION SOURCES
Sources Behind This California Calculator
This California paycheck calculator with bonus uses the IRS percentage method from Publication 15-T for regular federal withholding, 2026 Social Security and Medicare rates, and the California rules listed below. Each figure on this page is recalculated from those rules rather than copied from another site.
- IRS Publication 15, section 7 (supplemental wages)
- IRS Publication 15-T (percentage method)
- Social Security Administration 2026 wage base
- EDD Information Sheet DE 231PS (supplemental wage payments)
- EDD rates and withholding (2026 SDI rate)
- Franchise Tax Board analysis of AB 781 (California HSA nonconformity)
Full assumptions are documented on our methodology page.
Reviewed by: Paycheck Calculator Editorial Team
Last Updated: November 2026
Disclaimer: the California paycheck calculator with bonusproduces estimates for informational purposes only. Your employer's payroll system, W-4 and DE 4 entries, local taxes, and year-to-date wages all affect the actual amounts withheld. For advice about your own tax situation, consult a qualified tax professional.