How Maryland taxes bonuses
Maryland withholds a flat 6.5% state income tax on bonuses, on top of the federal 22%. Maryland withholds lump-sum bonuses at its top 6.5% rate plus your county's top local rate.
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.
Take-home pay on a bonus in Maryland
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 | Maryland taxes | Take-home bonus | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $220.00 | $76.50 | $65.00 | $638.50 | 63.8% |
| $2,500 | $550.00 | $191.25 | $162.50 | $1,596.25 | 63.8% |
| $5,000 | $1,100.00 | $382.50 | $325.00 | $3,192.50 | 63.8% |
| $10,000 | $2,200.00 | $765.00 | $650.00 | $6,385.00 | 63.8% |
| $25,000 | $5,500.00 | $1,912.50 | $1,625.00 | $15,962.50 | 63.8% |
| $50,000 | $11,000.00 | $3,825.00 | $3,250.00 | $31,925.00 | 63.8% |
Local income tax on bonuses
Local wage taxes come out of bonuses too. If you live or work in Baltimore City, expect the local rate on top of the figures here. This calculator does not include local tax; the city pages do.
Maryland bonus taxes compared with nearby states
The same $5,000 bonus, flat federal rate, in each state that borders Maryland. Of these, Pennsylvania leaves the most of the bonus in your pocket.
| State | State bonus withholding | State taxes on the bonus | Take-home bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 6.5% flat | $325.00 | $3,192.50 |
| Delaware bonus tax calculator | Regular tables | $350.00 | $3,167.50 |
| Pennsylvania bonus tax calculator | 3.07% flat | $157.00 | $3,360.50 |
| Virginia bonus tax calculator | 5.75% flat | $287.50 | $3,230.00 |
| West Virginia bonus tax calculator | Regular tables | $229.00 | $3,288.50 |
| District of Columbia bonus tax calculator | Regular tables | $417.31 | $3,100.19 |
More Maryland pay calculators
For your regular take-home pay, use the Maryland 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 Maryland payroll calculator. The bonus tax calculator page compares every state.
Sources
Federal figures follow IRS Publication 15. Maryland bonus withholding comes from the state's own guidance: marylandcomptroller.gov. See how we calculate for the withholding method.