Ohio Bonus Tax Calculator
Data compiled and maintained by Edmond Daher · Updated 2026-06-16
A Ohio bonus feels heavily taxed, but the missing chunk is withholding, not a bonus tax. Ohio adds a flat 2.75% 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 Ohio is withheld at a flat 22% for federal income tax plus 2.75% for Ohio, plus 7.65% FICA. None of that is the final number — a bonus is taxed at your marginal rate once you file, so the calculator below estimates what comes back or is still due.
Estimate only, not tax advice — terms.
What a $14,000 bonus really costs on a $61,000 Ohio income
Say you earn $61,000 in Ohio and your employer cuts a separate $14,000 bonus check:
- On the check: the employer holds back $3,080 for federal, $385 Ohio, and $1,071 for FICA — $4,536 in all (32.4% of the bonus), leaving about $9,464.
- What it actually costs: the true income tax on the bonus is about $2,915 (federal $2,530 + Ohio $385), plus the same $1,071 FICA.
- The gap: you over-paid income tax by roughly $550, and that returns as a refund at filing. FICA ($1,071) stays either way — it's a real tax.
Example single-filer numbers from the calculator above; your own refund or bill shifts with your total income and filing status.
Cross-border check: Ohio vs. Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana on a bonus
The same $10,000 bonus and $70,000 salary, in Ohio and its neighbors Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana:
| State | Bonus method | State withheld | Total withheld |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | flat 2.75% | $275 | $3,240 |
| Pennsylvania | aggregate (~3.07%) | $307 | $3,272 |
| Michigan | aggregate (~4.25%) | $425 | $3,390 |
| Indiana | aggregate (~2.95%) | $295 | $3,260 |
Figures are the 22% federal plus state plus FICA for a single filer; the income tax you owe reconciles on your return.
The three cuts on a Ohio bonus: federal, state, and FICA
Federal withholding on a bonus. The IRS default holds back a flat 22% for federal income tax when the bonus is separate from your regular pay (IRS Pub 15). Once your year's supplemental pay tops $1,000,000, the rate jumps to 37%. It borrows the third bracket's rate — it is not a levy on bonuses.
Ohio keeps it simple: 2.75%. A separately paid bonus is subject to one flat state rate in Ohio, 2.75% (Ohio Administrative Rule 5703-7-10 / ODT).
Set FICA aside as final. The 7.65% FICA bite is the tax itself — Social Security stops at the annual wage base, Medicare doesn't. That's why the calculator shows the same FICA under "withheld now" and "what it really costs" — there's nothing to refund; only the income-tax portion trues up.
Working out a whole paycheck? See the Ohio paycheck calculator.
What Ohio holds back on a $5,000, $25,000, or $100,000 bonus
What's held back from three bonus sizes in Ohio (single filer, $70,000 salary):
| Bonus | Federal | Ohio | FICA | Total | % of bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $1,100 | $138 | $383 | $1,620 | 32.4% |
| $25,000 | $5,500 | $688 | $1,913 | $8,100 | 32.4% |
| $100,000 | $22,000 | $2,750 | $7,650 | $32,400 | 32.4% |
The rate drifts as Social Security hits its annual cap, but the income-tax part still reconciles at filing.
Is Ohio's a flat 2.75% bonus rate a "bonus tax"? No
Bonuses aren't taxed differently — only withheld differently. The real tax is your ordinary marginal rate, settled on your return, not the flat 22% on the check. Below a 22% real rate you get money back; above it, you settle the gap at filing. Worked out for the $14,000 bonus here, about $550 returns as a refund. Just the 7.65% FICA slice is a real tax you won't get back.
Ohio bonus tax FAQ
Will I get some of my Ohio 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.
Is there a special bonus tax rate in Ohio?
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 Ohio 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.
What rate does Ohio withhold on a bonus in 2026?
Ohio's supplemental withholding is 2.75%, 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.
Bonus tax calculators near Ohio
Ohio paycheck calculator · all state bonus tax calculators →