TakeHome Pay
CalculatorHourlyBonusOvertimeNo Tax on OTNo Tax on TipsOffersIncome %Total CompTax Refund

West Virginia Bonus Paycheck Calculator

A bonus paid in West Virginia is withheld at the flat 22% federal supplemental rate in 2026 (37% on amounts above $1 million), plus FICA of 7.65% and West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%). Your final tax bill is settled when you file, not at withholding.

How are bonuses taxed in West Virginia?

In West Virginia, your employer withholds a flat 22% federal supplemental rate and 7.65% FICA, plus West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%), so roughly 30–35% of a bonus is typically withheld up front. Withholding isn't your final tax: at filing time a bonus is ordinary income, so any over-withholding comes back as a refund. Against the 5 states West Virginia borders, the same a $10,000 bonus is worth $6,553 here: Ohio keeps $207 more ($6,760), Pennsylvania keeps $175 more ($6,728), Kentucky keeps $132 more ($6,685), Maryland keeps $7 more ($6,560) and Virginia leaves $93 less ($6,460). Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania are the only borders worth crossing for the tax alone.

Calculate your exact bonus take-home pay

Your bonus take-home

$3,518

from $5,000 bonusFor a $5,000 bonus · West Virginia · single

Take-home 70%Taxes 30%
Bonus amount$5,000
Federal tax−$1,100
State tax—
Social Security−$310
Medicare−$73
Net bonus$3,518

Estimate based on 2026 federal and West Virginia tax rules updated Oct 2026 How we calculate

Your details

Taxation method

Most common: a flat 22% federal rate is withheld on the bonus.

More options Base salary

What a bonus is actually worth in West Virginia

On top of a $75,000 salary in West Virginia, here is what each extra dollar survives federal tax, West Virginia income tax and FICA in 2026:

BonusGrossWest Virginia taxYou keepShare kept
$5,000 bonus$5,000$241$3,27765.5%
$10,000 bonus$10,000$482$6,55365.5%
$25,000 bonus$25,000$1,205$16,38365.5%

West Virginia takes about 4.8% of that money on top of the 22% federal marginal rate and 7.65% FICA.

How West Virginia ranks on bonuses

Across all 50 states and DC, West Virginia ranks 29th for what a $10,000 bonus leaves in 2026. That is $12 less than the median state ($6,565), and $536 more than California, where the same a $10,000 bonus leaves $6,017.

The best outcome anywhere is $7,035 in Alaska and the other states with no wage income tax, $482 more than West Virginia keeps.

West Virginia bonuses against the states next door

Crossing a state line changes what the same bonus is worth without changing what you are paid. Here is a $10,000 bonus in West Virginia against the states it borders:

StateState income taxYou keepvs West Virginia
West Virginia$482$6,553—
Kentucky$350$6,685$132 more
Maryland$475$6,560$7 more
Ohio$275$6,760$207 more
Pennsylvania$307$6,728$175 more
Virginia$575$6,460$93 less

How West Virginia bonus withholding works

Short answer: your employer withholds a flat 22% for federal income tax (the supplemental rate), plus 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare, plus West Virginia withholding on top: typically 30–35% of a West Virginia bonus withheld up front. Bonuses aren't actually taxed at a higher rate, though: at tax time they're ordinary income, and any over-withholding comes back in your refund. Here's how each piece works.

  • Federal supplemental rate: Most employers withhold federal income tax from bonuses at a flat 22%, $2,200 on a $10,000 bonus, or 37% above $1 million a year, regardless of your regular bracket.
  • West Virginia state tax: Bonus income is ultimately taxed through West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%). The calculator estimates the West Virginia share based on your inputs. Local income taxes in some West Virginia cities or counties are not included.
  • FICA taxes still apply: Social Security (6.2% up to the annual wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% for high earners) come out of a bonus like any wage: $765 on $10,000.
  • Over-withholding is common: The flat 22% federal rate is often higher than your actual effective rate, and the difference comes back as a refund. In West Virginia the whole $10,000 nets $6,553 once state tax and FICA are in.

Your actual bonus tax depends on your total annual income, not the bonus alone: these figures assume a $75,000 West Virginia salary. Enter your own numbers above for an estimate that fits your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Typically 30–35%: a flat 22% federal supplemental withholding, 7.65% FICA, and West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%). Your actual tax owed depends on your full-year income and may be lower: the difference comes back as a refund when you file.

The IRS requires employers to withhold federal income tax from supplemental wages (including bonuses) at a flat 22% rate for amounts up to $1 million, rising to 37% above that. Your employer may alternatively add the bonus to your regular paycheck and withhold using the aggregate method. Worked through for West Virginia: a $10,000 bonus keeps $6,553: 65.5% of it, after $482 of West Virginia income tax.

It depends on your total annual income and tax bracket. If the 22% flat withholding rate is higher than your actual effective rate on the bonus, you'll get the difference back as a refund; if you're in a higher bracket, you may owe more. On a $75,000 salary in West Virginia, a bonus is taxed at about 22% federally plus 4.8% to West Virginia, so the 22% flat rate is close to the mark at that income.

Yes: as regular income. Some employers withhold West Virginia tax on bonuses at a supplemental rate, but what you ultimately owe is determined by West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%) applied to your full-year income. Local income taxes in some West Virginia cities or counties are not included.

Splitting a bonus across pay periods can reduce withholding if your employer uses the aggregate method, which annualizes your income, but it changes the timing, not the amount you ultimately owe. Where you live changes the amount: West Virginia ranks 29 of 51 on what a $10,000 bonus leaves, against $6,565 in the median state and $6,017 in California.

Against the 5 states West Virginia borders, the same a $10,000 bonus is worth $6,553 here: Ohio keeps $207 more ($6,760), Pennsylvania keeps $175 more ($6,728), Kentucky keeps $132 more ($6,685), Maryland keeps $7 more ($6,560) and Virginia leaves $93 less ($6,460). Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania are the only borders worth crossing for the tax alone.

West Virginia's 6.5% top rate is higher than many people expect for a 'low-cost' state. The compressed brackets mean most earners hit the top rate quickly, making the effective rate higher than the 3% starting rate suggests. Combined with relatively high sales tax rates (6%-7%), the total tax burden can be significant. A $75,000 earner pays an effective rate around 5%-5.5% (approximately $3,750-$4,125 annually), while the same earner in a flat-tax state like Pennsylvania would pay $2,300 (3.07% flat, though PA may have local EIT).

It depends on your income level. Lower and middle-income earners ($50,000-$100,000) might pay similar or slightly more in West Virginia compared to Virginia (top 5.75% rate). However, high earners ($200,000+) will likely pay more in West Virginia (effective rates around 5%-5.5%) compared to Virginia. West Virginia's 6% sales tax can also offset income tax differences for big spenders. Factor in both income and spending patterns when evaluating West Virginia.

Related Tools