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Taxes on Military Bonuses: How and Why

30 August 2020

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Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn money. As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

How Taxes Work on Military Bonuses | KateHorrell.comI’ve noticed a lot of cfrustration about taxes on military bonuses.  That’s not surprising, because it IS frustrating if you don’t understand what’s going on, but it doesn’t have to be too hard to understand.

First, you have to have a firm grasp on how income taxes work.  If you are not sure, then read How Income Taxes Work, and ask questions.  Feeling good about regular taxes?  Great.

Here’s the magic thing about taxes on military bonuses:  adding a bonus just changes the numbers.  Everything else is the same.  Your income number goes up, and your withholding number goes up because you’ve had taxes withheld on the bonus.

The part that gets people frustrated is that there are two ways that an employer can withhold taxes on bonuses: at your regular rate, or at a flat rate of 22%. DFAS withholds at 22%. I’m not sure exactly why but I suspect it is because most people would rather have a little more withheld than not enough. But regardless of why, that’s how it is done.

So when you get that bonus, it’ll have 22% withheld for federal taxes. And a lot of people look at that and say, “Bonuses get taxed at a higher rate.” But that’s not right. What’s true is that bonuses have taxes withheld at a higher rate. But the amount that you’ll actually pay in taxes isn’t determined until you file your income tax return the following year, and then your bonus (and bonus withholding) is lumped in with all your other income and all your other withholding. And if that 22% was too high, then either it will offset any amount that you would have owed, or you’ll get a larger tax refund.

Here’s an example of a service member who gets a $10,000 bonus that has $2,200 in taxes withheld from the payment.  Everything else remains the same, except his income is higher, increasing his taxes, and his withheld amount is higher.

How bonuses affect income taxes | KateHorrell.com

In this sample, the taxpayer had $2,200 withheld from the bonus payment, but had an additional $439 in their tax refund, so they really only paid $1,761 in taxes on that $10,000 payment.  Obviously, every single tax situation will be different, but this gives you a rough idea how it works.

A couple of things to think about:

Bonuses in a Combat Zone

If you are able to receive your bonus while you are located in a Combat Zone Tax Exempt area, then you won’t owe federal income taxes on that money.  Schwing!

Bonuses Saved for Retirement

Bonuses can be put into retirement savings accounts such as the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) or an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA).  If you put it into a Roth account, it won’t give you any tax benefit now, but it will grow tax-free and distributions later will be tax free.  If you use a traditional account, you won’t be taxed on that money now but future distributions will be taxable.

You Can Save More If You’re In A Combat Zone

If you are in a Combat Zone Tax Exempt area, you can contribute above the usual limit. There are some tricky rules about contributions, because of the ways that different rules work together. Doug Nordman has done a great job of explaining it in this article: Maximizing Your TSP Contributions in a Combat Zone  .  Get some help if you’re a super-saver who is going to exceed the yearly limits.

If you have questions about other aspects of military enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses, see Ryan’s great post at The Military Wallet: Enlistment and Reenlistment Bonus Guide – Everything You Need to Know about Bonuses.

Still confused about taxes on military bonuses?  Ask questions in the comments.  I’ll answer them for you, plus update this post to make it more clear.

For more information on military tax issues, you might enjoy:

How Income Taxes Work

Understanding The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act and How It Applies To State Taxes

What Military Moving Expenses are Tax-Deductible?

Understanding Depreciation Recapture Taxes on Rental Property

Do you want to know more about your military pay and benefits?

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30 Comments
Filed Under: Taxes

Comments

  1. Jonathon Friel says

    13 February 2017 at 1:48 pm

    when you reenlist in a combat zone, only the installment you receive while in country is tax free, not the entire bonus. I just got off the phone with DFAS and was informed of this.

    Reply
    • Romeopapa says

      25 April 2017 at 3:17 pm

      When I reenlisted while deployed the entire amount was tax free (the half that I received up front while in the combat zone and the later installments, even though I was not deployed when I received them).

      Reply
  2. Terell says

    3 March 2017 at 4:39 pm

    I’m considering the LRP option when enlist in the military. Currently, I have 63,000 in stundent loan debt. With the active duty army paying 33.3% of my balance every year, how much taxes will be taken out of my payments?

    I’m assuming that it would be in the 25% tax bracket with about 3000 in taxes taken out for payment.

    Reply
  3. Eric B says

    6 September 2017 at 9:03 am

    I understand that military pay in a combat zone is tax free only up to ~$8,200 per month with pay above that amount subject to tax. Does this also apply to bonuses received during combat deployment? For example: base pay is $6,200 per month, I also receive a $25,000 health professional bonus for commuting to extra time. Will the bonus be tax free?

    Reply
    • Michael says

      13 November 2018 at 9:03 pm

      I see you posted this in 2017. What was the outcome? Was your bonus tax while deployed?

      Reply
      • Cody Morris says

        1 May 2019 at 6:11 am

        When I reenlisted in 2012 in Afghanistan I received 35,000 tax free all at once.

        Reply
  4. Seth Aniagyei says

    1 October 2017 at 2:11 pm

    I enlisted in Oregon but PCS’ed to Ft Hood Texas. I had a $10.000 bonus. I only received $6,600. I understand the IRS takes 25% as tax. Does the State also take a cut as taxes. My State tax from that pay period rose to $986 from the usual $111 to $986. Is there State tax on bonuses and if so, what percentage does the state take out as Tax ?

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      2 October 2017 at 1:19 pm

      The IRS requires tax withholding at 25% – it isn’t an actual tax bill but a pre-payment on the estimated total yearly tax. Many states also require withholding on bonuses. The amount would depend on the state.

      Reply
  5. James says

    27 February 2018 at 10:53 am

    I received two bonuses last year and both were taxed. I was told by my career counselor that I will be able to get what was taxed, back during tax return season. Is that true? Some are saying I won’t see the money that was taxed.

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      27 February 2018 at 7:02 pm

      Everyone’s tax situation is different. Most military service members see most of the withheld taxes refunded at tax time, but that’s not true for 100% of cases. It depends on your overall income, family size, credits you may be able to claim, and most importantly, your total withholding for the year (regular withholding plus bonus withholding.) I’d be glad to help you go over your tax return and explain your specific situation to you.

      Reply
  6. Jdon says

    8 April 2018 at 4:36 am

    If I am stationed in gorgia and relieved a bonus did I pay gorgia state tax and NY State tax if my home of record I’d ny

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      8 April 2018 at 10:25 am

      Jdon, you had taxes withheld for your state of legal residence as listed on your LES. Whether you actually “paid” any taxes depends on a wide variety of factors including your state tax law and particular situation.

      Reply
  7. KC says

    18 May 2018 at 4:14 pm

    Are sign on bonuses garnishable by the government and if so how much can they take?

    Reply
  8. Curious Soldier says

    6 July 2018 at 12:07 pm

    Do you pay payroll taxes on military bonuses? I.e. 6.2% social security + 1.45% medicare = 7.65% ?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      6 July 2018 at 12:41 pm

      Yes, bonuses are regular earned income and are subject to payroll taxes, as well as state and federal income taxes.

      Reply
  9. Brian says

    7 July 2018 at 3:14 am

    Just a point out, they should only be withholding 22% in 2018, not 25% like 2017 and prior. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15#en_US_2018_publink1000202352

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      7 July 2018 at 10:56 am

      Thanks for the link, Brian!

      Reply
  10. George says

    29 July 2018 at 11:32 pm

    “Bonuses can be put into retirement savings accounts such as the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) or an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA). If you put it into a Roth account, it won’t give you any tax benefit now,”

    Putting a percentage of my bonus into TSP would not lower my taxable income? I understand the bonus will be taxed a percentage no matter what, but wouldn’t it lower the overall taxable income?

    Reply
  11. Lynda says

    12 November 2018 at 10:36 am

    My husband got a military bonus and we were taxed on it, now that he is retiring they are making us pay it back and withdrawing from he’s retirement taxed again, can they do that? So we basically paid taxes twice on this amount.

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      12 November 2018 at 1:38 pm

      Lynda, there is a way to reclaim this on your taxes, but it is complicated. You’re going to want professional help with this. https://www.military.com/paycheck-chronicles/2014/11/05/bonus-repayment-gets-messy

      Reply
  12. Tony says

    26 April 2019 at 9:31 am

    Currently deployed to Qatar, a tax free zone, I’m receiving the first half of my 20,000$ bonus while I was here. Is this going to be tax-free since I am in a tax-free zone?

    Reply
    • David Joseph Pierson says

      29 May 2019 at 8:49 am

      Tony, have you received your bonus since posting this ? I am wondering the same thing. I re-enlisted stateside but supposed to receive my bonus next month. I’ve read two sources that say if in tax free zone you’ll receive you bonus tax free along side them saying reenlisting in tax free zone gets it tax free. Let me know if you know now. Thanks.

      Reply
  13. Robert R Quick II says

    29 May 2019 at 5:43 am

    Currently deployed in a combat zone. I received my reenlistment bonus, it was taxed but I recently got those taxes back. I reenlisted while stateside though. Am I entitled to my bonus being taxed free, or am I going to have pay these taxes back because DFAS messed up

    Reply
  14. Marie says

    24 January 2020 at 11:25 am

    My husband received a bonus for re-enlistment in 2018 which we were taxed on up front. He is an E-6 with 3 dependents, at the time 9 years of svs, and no other income. Should we have filed to recoup some of the tax we paid on that bonus? It did not show up as income on our W2 for 2018 nor is it showing up as income for 2019.

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      26 January 2020 at 1:48 pm

      Marie, I assume when you say “taxed up front,” you mean that taxes were withheld? Both the bonus and the withholding should have been reported on the W-2. If it did not, you need to contact DFAS to get the W-2 amended to show both the income and withholding, and then file an amended tax return. It is entirely possible that you will receive a refund of a portion of the taxes withheld once you go through the process to get an accurate W-2 for the year in which the bonus was paid.

      Reply
  15. Kayt says

    17 February 2020 at 9:46 am

    Hi, I reenlisted while in a tax exempt zone and my payments are split up 2500 every year. I get sent a 1099 every year, does this mean that it is taxable once I left the tax exempt zone? I was told since I signed my contract while there then the whole thing would not be taxed but I have no idea how to prove that. Thank you

    Reply
  16. Melissa says

    24 May 2020 at 11:14 pm

    Hello, I will be receiving a reenlistment bonus after I complete my re-class training for another MOS. I was wonder how much of that bonus will I actually see. I understand that it will be taxed 22% federally, but I am unable to find anything stating how much NC will withhold.

    Reply
  17. Christy Ball says

    18 June 2020 at 1:54 am

    How does it effect your tax bracket? Does it effect it at all or how does this work?

    Reply
    • Kate Horrell says

      18 June 2020 at 8:25 am

      It affects your tax bracket just like any other income would – it remains the same up to the limit for that bracket, and the additional amount is taxed at the next higher level.

      Reply

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Welcome

Hi! I'm Kate! Accredited Financial Counselor®, Navy spouse, and mom of four.

Here at the blog, I talk about the financial issues that affect military families - pay, allowances, and benefits. Plus college stuff, landlording, moving, taxes. We cover a little bit of everything.

My goal is to give you the tools to make the best decisions right now, so you'll be confidently prepared for whatever comes next - whether that's a PCS move, transition to civilian life, or retirement.

So grab a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever makes you happy, and let's get to know each other.

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