Colorado Bonus Tax Calculator
Data compiled and maintained by Edmond Daher · Updated 2026-06-16
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. 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.
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 below shows the gap either way.
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%.
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 (~4.5%) | $450 | $3,415 |
| 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.
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 2026-06-16).