Gross-Up Calculator
Work out the gross pay needed so someone keeps a specific take-home amount after tax. Enter the net you want and the withholding rate — gross = net ÷ (1 − rate). The second box converts a gross amount to net.
Tax withheld: $428.57
When you would gross up a payment
A gross-up answers one question: how much do I have to pay so the person keeps the amount I promised? It comes up with signing bonuses, relocation packages, and taxable reimbursements, where the employer wants the worker to net a round number.
The math is one step. Divide the net by one minus the tax rate. To put $1,000 in someone's pocket at a 30% withholding rate, you pay $1,000 ÷ 0.70 = $1,428.57; $428.57 goes to taxes and the worker keeps $1,000.
For a bonus specifically, federal supplemental withholding is a flat 22% — see the bonus tax calculator. For regular wages, the paycheck calculator estimates the full set of deductions.
Frequently asked questions
Grossing up means increasing a payment so that, after taxes are taken out, the person is left with the exact net amount you intended. Employers do it for bonuses, relocation, and reimbursements when they want the worker to keep a specific take-home figure.
Divide the net amount by (1 − the tax rate as a decimal). To net $1,000 at a 30% combined rate, gross = 1,000 ÷ 0.70 = $1,428.57. Taxes of $428.57 come out and the person keeps $1,000.
Use the combined rate that will be withheld: federal, state, and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%). For a bonus, federal supplemental withholding is a flat 22%, so a common combined rate is roughly 30–40% depending on your state.
No. Gross-up works off the withholding rate you enter. Your actual tax for the year is settled when you file, so the take-home can differ slightly from the estimate.