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Bonus Tax in Maryland (2026)

A bonus is supplemental pay, and it is usually withheld at a flat federal rate rather than your normal bracket. Employers apply 22% to supplemental wages up to a yearly threshold, and a higher rate on the part above it. FICA comes out on top, and then the Maryland state layer applies.

Some states have no separate bonus withholding rate. In Maryland, the aggregate method applies instead, combining the bonus with your regular wages and withholding as if it were one larger paycheck. Maryland has no separate flat STATE supplemental wage rate; graduated withholding applies. (Combined state+county supplemental percentages are published per county for payroll use only.)

Your county or Baltimore City income tax applies to a bonus along with the state tax, so both layers come out.

Worked example: a $5,000 bonus in Maryland

Federal withholding (22%)$1,100
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)$383
Maryland withholdingaggregate method — varies

Assumes year-to-date wages under the $184,500 Social Security wage base. Withholding, not final tax — it reconciles on your return.

Bonus tax calculator (2026)

Federal withholding (flat 22%)$1,100
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)$383
Maryland withholdingaggregate method — varies

Maryland has no flat supplemental rate — employers combine the bonus with regular wages (aggregate method), so the exact withholding depends on your paycheck. Assumes your year-to-date wages are under the $184,500 Social Security wage base. Withholding, not your final tax — it reconciles on your return.

See what your regular paycheck keeps in Maryland: Maryland paycheck calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my bonus taxed so high?

What you see is withholding, not your final tax. Federal rules withhold supplemental pay like a bonus at a flat 22%, which is often more than your normal rate, so the bonus looks heavily taxed. It squares up when you file, where your real rate is applied to your total income.

Does Maryland have a flat bonus withholding rate?

It depends on the state. The breakdown above shows Maryland's supplemental rate if it has one, or notes when the aggregate method applies instead.

Federal: IRS 2026 brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) · FICA: IRS Topic 751 · Wage base: SSA · Maryland: Comptroller of Maryland. Rates current as of July 16, 2026. Annual-liability estimates, not payroll withholding — see methodology.