Arizona Bonus Tax Calculator
Data compiled and maintained by Edmond Daher · Updated 2026-06-16
A Arizona bonus feels heavily taxed, but the missing chunk is withholding, not a bonus tax. Arizona has no separate bonus rate, so it withholds using the aggregate method (about 2.5%) on top of the 22% federal prepayment and FICA. Put in your figures below to compare what's withheld now with your real tax at filing — and the refund or shortfall. Everything runs in your browser.
The quick take: a stand-alone Arizona bonus has a flat 22% federal tax withheld, no separate Arizona rate — it's withheld as ordinary wages (about 2.5%), plus 7.65% FICA. Treat it as money on account. The real tax is your marginal rate, reconciled on your return; the tool below shows the gap either way.
Estimate only, not tax advice — terms.
What comes out of a Arizona bonus in 2026
Where the 22% comes from. Employers may withhold a flat 22% of a separately identified bonus for federal income tax (IRS Publication 15). A mandatory 37% hits supplemental pay beyond $1,000,000 a year; neither figure is a special "bonus" rate, both are withholding defaults.
Arizona folds the bonus into regular pay. Lacking a flat supplemental rate, Arizona uses the aggregate method: withholding is figured on your wages plus the bonus. At its 2.5% flat rate, that lands a bonus near 2.5%.
FICA is the real tax. Social Security (6.2% to the wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, +0.9% above $200,000) are owed at the same rate they're withheld. 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 Arizona paycheck calculator is the tool to use.
Three bonus sizes in Arizona: $5,000, $25,000 and $100,000 withheld
What's held back from three bonus sizes in Arizona (single filer, $70,000 salary):
| Bonus | Federal | Arizona | FICA | Total | % of bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $1,100 | $125 | $383 | $1,608 | 32.1% |
| $25,000 | $5,500 | $625 | $1,913 | $8,038 | 32.1% |
| $100,000 | $22,000 | $2,500 | $7,650 | $32,150 | 32.1% |
That percentage moves once Social Security caps out at the wage base, and the income-tax slice still settles at filing.
Why your Arizona bonus looks over-taxed — and mostly isn't
Think of the flat rate as a deposit, not a bill. A bonus is taxed like any wages — at your marginal rate when the year's income runs through the brackets — and the 22% is only how it's withheld. Below a 22% real rate you get money back; above it, you settle the gap at filing. Worked out for the $18,000 bonus here, about $1,800 returns as a refund. Only FICA (7.65%) is a true tax that never returns.
Arizona vs. California, Nevada and New Mexico: bonus withholding compared
Take a $10,000 bonus for someone on $70,000 and compare Arizona with bordering California, Nevada and New Mexico:
| State | Bonus method | State withheld | Total withheld |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | aggregate (~2.5%) | $250 | $3,215 |
| California | 10.23% / 6.6% | $1,023 | $3,988 |
| Nevada | no state income tax | $0 | $2,965 |
| New Mexico | flat 5.9% | $590 | $3,555 |
Totals stack federal 22%, state, and FICA for a single filer — the actual income tax lands when the return is filed.
$47,000 salary, $18,000 bonus: the Arizona withholding-vs.-tax breakdown
Take a single filer in Arizona earning $47,000 who gets a $18,000 bonus on its own check:
- Off the top: $5,787 disappears at payday — $3,960 federal, $450 Arizona, and $1,377 FICA — so roughly $12,213 actually reaches you, a 32.1% cut.
- At tax time: the bonus's actual income tax works out near $2,610 (federal $2,160 + Arizona $450) — and FICA is the same $1,377 as before.
- The gap: about $1,800 of income-tax over-withholding comes back as a refund when you file. Either way, the $1,377 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.
Arizona bonus tax FAQ
Are bonuses taxed at a higher rate in Arizona?
No. A bonus is ordinary income taxed at your normal marginal rate when you file; the flat 22% withheld is a prepayment, not a tax rate.
Does Arizona have a separate bonus withholding rate?
No. Arizona 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 2.5%.
What rate does Arizona withhold on a bonus in 2026?
Arizona's supplemental withholding is about 2.5% (aggregate method), 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.
Does my Arizona 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.
Bonus tax calculators near Arizona
Arizona paycheck calculator · all state bonus tax calculators →
Sources
- IRS Publication 15 (2026) — Supplemental Wages (flat 22% / 37% above $1M)
- Arizona income-tax status & rate: see the Arizona paycheck calculator sources (state DOR, verified 2026-06-16).