How Alaska taxes bonuses
Alaska has no state income tax on wages, so a bonus loses only federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, plus AK unemployment insurance.
Federal withholding is the same in every state. Most employers take a flat 22% of the bonus (37% on supplemental pay over $1,000,000 in a year). Social Security takes 6.2% up to the yearly wage base and Medicare 1.45%. If your employer adds the bonus to a regular $2,500 paycheck instead, the aggregate method withholds about $1,150.54 of federal tax on a $5,000 bonus, against $1,100.00 with the flat rate.
Alaska also takes AK unemployment insurance from a bonus, the same as from any wages: $25.00 on $5,000.
Take-home pay on a bonus in Alaska
What is withheld from bonuses of different sizes, with the federal flat rate, for a single filer who has not yet reached the Social Security wage base this year.
| Bonus | Federal income tax | Social Security and Medicare | Alaska deductions | Take-home bonus | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $220.00 | $76.50 | $5.00 | $698.50 | 69.8% |
| $2,500 | $550.00 | $191.25 | $12.50 | $1,746.25 | 69.8% |
| $5,000 | $1,100.00 | $382.50 | $25.00 | $3,492.50 | 69.8% |
| $10,000 | $2,200.00 | $765.00 | $50.00 | $6,985.00 | 69.8% |
| $25,000 | $5,500.00 | $1,912.50 | $125.00 | $17,462.50 | 69.8% |
| $50,000 | $11,000.00 | $3,825.00 | $250.00 | $34,925.00 | 69.8% |
Alaska bonus taxes compared with nearby states
The same $5,000 bonus, flat federal rate, in each state that borders Alaska. Alaska leaves as much of a bonus as any state that borders it.
| State | State bonus withholding | State taxes on the bonus | Take-home bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | No income tax | $25.00 | $3,492.50 |
| Washington bonus tax calculator | No income tax | $69.36 | $3,448.14 |
| Hawaii bonus tax calculator | Regular tables | $388.56 | $3,128.94 |
More Alaska pay calculators
For your regular take-home pay, use the Alaska paycheck calculator. To see a bonus next to your regular paycheck, try the bonus paycheck calculator. Employers paying a bonus can use the bonus payroll calculator or the Alaska payroll calculator. The bonus tax calculator page compares every state.
Sources
Federal figures follow IRS Publication 15. See how we calculate for the withholding method.