What does your bonus actually come to?
A joining bonus is taxed like any other salary income — and if there's a clawback clause, leaving early can mean owing it back in full.
Enter your gross bonus to see what you'd actually keep.
Questions people actually ask
- Is a joining bonus taxed differently from salary?
- No — India has no special lower tax rate for bonuses. A joining bonus or variable payout is added to your income and taxed at your normal marginal rate, same as any other salary component.
- What's a typical clawback period?
- 12 months is common for joining bonuses, though some companies use 6 or 24. Always check the exact wording in your offer letter — some clauses prorate the repayment instead of demanding the full amount back.