Bonus tax calculator (South Africa)

Enter your salary and bonus to see the extra tax the bonus adds and what you keep.

Bonus after tax

R 14 800

Bonus before tax: R 20 000
Extra tax because of the bonus: R 5 200.00
Bonus after tax: R 14 800.00
Share of the bonus paid as tax: 26%
Tax on your next rand earned: 26%
Tax for the year without the bonus: R 49 932.00
Tax for the year with the bonus: R 55 132.00

A bonus is added to your income for the year and taxed with it. The extra tax is the difference between the tax with and without the bonus. Your employer may withhold a different amount during the year, but SARS settles the final tax when it assesses your return.

UIF is not taken off the bonus in this estimate. Your payslip shows what your employer deducts.

Estimates only. Not financial advice.

Tax on other bonus sizes

Bonus after tax at other amounts, with your salary and details
Bonus	Extra tax	After tax	Share paid as tax
R 5 000	R 1 300	R 3 700	26%
R 10 000	R 2 600	R 7 400	26%
R 20 000	R 5 200	R 14 800	26%
R 30 000	R 7 800	R 22 200	26%
R 50 000	R 13 145	R 36 855	26.3%
R 75 000	R 20 895	R 54 105	27.9%
R 100 000	R 28 645	R 71 355	28.6%

How the bonus tax calculator works

Last updated 10 November 2026

South Africa has no separate tax rate for bonuses. A bonus is added to your income for the year and taxed along with your salary. This calculator works out your tax for the year twice, once without the bonus and once with it. The difference is the tax the bonus costs you.

How it works

Enter your monthly salary before tax and the bonus before tax.
Add your age, medical scheme details and any retirement contribution.
Read the extra tax, the bonus after tax and the share of the bonus paid as tax.

Worked example

With the starting figures:

A bonus of R 20 000 on a salary of R 28 000 a month adds R 5 200.00 of tax, which leaves R 14 800.00.
That is 26% of the bonus. The tax for the year goes from R 49 932.00 to R 55 132.00.

Why the bonus is taxed at your top rate

Income tax works in brackets. Your salary fills the lower brackets first, and a bonus is taxed in whichever bracket your income reaches. That is why a bonus loses a bigger share to tax than the average share of your salary. A bonus that crosses a bracket edge is taxed partly at each rate.

What your payslip may show

Employers withhold tax on a bonus in the month it is paid, using their own method. The amount withheld can differ from the final tax for the year. SARS settles any difference when it assesses your return, so this page shows the final tax effect rather than the amount on one payslip.

Where the figures come from

The brackets, rebates and medical credits come from SARS. We read them on 10 November 2026. The figures register shows the source and the date for each one.

What this page does not cover

UIF is not taken off the bonus here. Other income, travel allowances and deductions are not included. This is an estimate from public tables, not tax advice. Read the full disclaimer.

Things to watch

The amount your employer withholds can differ from the final tax.
Tax tables change, usually from 1 March each year.

Questions people ask

How is a bonus taxed in South Africa?

A bonus is added to your other income for the tax year and taxed with it, at the income tax rates in the SARS tables. The part of the bonus that falls in a higher bracket is taxed at that higher rate. There is no separate bonus tax rate.

Why does my bonus feel heavily taxed?

A bonus sits on top of your salary, so it is taxed at your highest rate, called the marginal rate. The tax on your first rand of the year is much lower than the tax on the bonus. The calculator shows both the extra tax and the share of the bonus it takes.

Can a bonus push me into a higher bracket?

Yes. If the bonus takes your income over the top of a bracket, only the part above that line is taxed at the higher rate. The rest stays in the lower bracket. You never lose money overall by earning more.

Will I get some of the tax back later?

The final tax is settled when SARS assesses your return. If your employer withheld more than the tax for the year, you get the difference back. Use the tax refund calculator to compare.

Does a retirement contribution reduce the tax on a bonus?

It can. Contributions to a pension, provident fund or retirement annuity reduce taxable income up to a limit. A higher income also raises the limit. Enter your monthly contribution to see the effect.

Is anything stored?

No. Your numbers stay in the page and are not sent anywhere.

Figures last checked on 10 November 2026 for the 2026/27 tax year. Sources: SARS: Rates of tax for individuals, SARS: Medical scheme fees tax credit rates.

Estimates only, based on 2026/27 figures. Not financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.