Gross-Up Calculator 2026
Work backwards from take-home pay. Find the gross bonus or award that leaves an exact amount after taxes, or the salary you need for the paycheck you want.
| Gross payment | $1,421.47 |
| Federal withholding (22%) | -$312.72 |
| Social Security + Medicare | -$108.74 |
| State and local tax | $0.00 |
| Paid out | $1,000.00 |
Gross-up amounts at a glance
One-time payment to an employee earning $60,000 in Texas, single, 2026 federal supplemental withholding (22%).
| Employee receives | Gross payment | Total tax withheld |
|---|---|---|
| $500 | $710.74 | $210.73 |
| $1,000 | $1,421.47 | $421.47 |
| $2,500 | $3,553.67 | $1,053.66 |
| $5,000 | $7,107.33 | $2,107.32 |
| $10,000 | $14,214.65 | $4,214.64 |
How this calculator grosses up
- Federal. One-time payments use the IRS flat supplemental rate of 22% (37% above $1 million in a year).
- Social Security and Medicare. 7.65% until the employee's pay for the year passes $184,500, then 1.45% Medicare (plus 0.9% above $200,000).
- State. The state's flat supplemental rate where it has one, such as 10.23% in California or 11.70% in New York; otherwise the state's income tax on top of the regular salary.
- Paycheck mode finds the yearly salary whose take-home per paycheck matches your target, using the regular 2026 withholding for that state.
To see the other direction, from a bonus to what lands in the bank, use the bonus tax calculator.
Common questions
What does gross up mean?
Grossing up means raising a payment so that, after taxes are withheld, the person receives the exact amount you intended. If you want an employee to get $1,000, you pay more than $1,000 so the taxes come out of the extra.
How do you calculate a gross-up?
Divide the net amount by one minus the total tax rate. With 22% federal supplemental withholding and 7.65% Social Security and Medicare and no state tax, $1,000 ÷ (1 − 0.2965) = $1,421.47. State tax and the Social Security wage base change the result, which is what this calculator handles.
How much do I need to pay for an employee to get $1,000?
In Texas, about $1,421.47 for an employee earning $60,000. In California, where bonuses are withheld at a flat 10.23%, it is about $1,700.11.
What is net to gross?
Net to gross works backwards from take-home pay to salary. For example, to take home $2,000 every two weeks as a single filer in Texas, you need a salary of about $62,004 a year.
Is a grossed-up bonus taxed again?
The extra amount you add is itself taxable, which is why a gross-up costs more than simply adding the tax on the original amount. The formula above already accounts for tax on the gross-up itself.