Bonus Tax Calculator: 13th Cheque After Tax
Getting a bonus or 13th cheque? See how much tax comes off and what you’ll actually get in your bonus month.
What you type is saved on this device only and isn’t sent anywhere. Your payslip may differ by a few rand because employers use SARS’s tax tables in steps.
A guide to help you plan, not official advice. SARS makes the final decision. Figures last checked against official sources on .
How it works
This follows the method in SARS’s Guide for Employers in respect of Employees’ Tax (2027), under “Annual payments/bonus”: your employer works out the tax on a full year of your salary, then on a year of salary plus the bonus. The difference is the tax on your bonus. Tax rates and rebates are SARS’s 2026/27 rates of tax for individuals.
The calculator assumes your salary is the same every month and leaves out retirement fund contributions and other deductions, so it slightly overstates the tax if you contribute to a pension or retirement annuity through work. For your normal monthly take-home pay, use the salary after tax calculator.
Figures last checked against official sources on .
Questions
Why is so much tax taken off my bonus?
Your employer taxes the bonus as if it were extra income on top of a full year’s salary, so all of it is taxed at your top rate (or higher, if it pushes you into the next bracket). Your normal salary also uses up the tax-free amount and the lower brackets. That’s why the bonus month’s tax looks so much bigger than usual.
Is a 13th cheque taxed differently from a bonus?
No. A 13th cheque, a performance bonus and other once-a-year payments are all taxed the same way: as extra income for the year, at your top tax rate.
Will I get some of the tax back?
Usually not, because the tax on a bonus is the right amount for your income. You may get some back on your tax return if your income for the year turns out lower than your employer assumed, for example if you only worked part of the year.
Is UIF taken off my bonus?
Only if your normal salary is below R17 712 a month. UIF is 1% of what you’re paid each month, up to R177.12 a month, so if you already pay the maximum, your bonus adds no extra UIF.