Is my signing bonus clawback normal?

MGMA's February 2026 poll (n=304) found 80% of groups require repayment of sign-on bonuses if the physician leaves early; most prorate by time worked, and commitments typically run one to three years. MGMA advises proration as the default, which gives you a citable norm when you ask.

The bonus is ordinary income. Employers usually withhold federal tax at the supplemental wage rate, and your state may add its own; the final bill depends on your bracket, so the amount you 'keep' is not the gross figure. If you repay after a cliff, ask whether repayment is gross or net of the tax already withheld — that difference can be thousands.

Timing matters too: a bonus paid at signing, at the first paycheck, or after credentialing changes your cash flow and the repayment clock. Get the payment date and the commitment start date in writing.

The numbers

Groups using clawbacks

80%

MGMA Stat poll, February 2026 (n=304)

Typical commitment

1–3 years

Most groups prorate by time worked

$40k bonus, 36-month proration, leave at month 12

$26,667 owed

vs. $40,000 under a full cliff

Actions that follow from the numbers

1. Ask for repayment to be prorated monthly by full months worked.
2. Ask for the obligation to be waived if the employer terminates without cause.
3. Model the bonus net of tax and the clawback at 12, 24 and 36 months. Compare offers

What could change this

Each condition below would change the conclusion above. If one applies, re-run the numbers before acting on this answer.

• The employer terminates you without cause — repayment then is exactly what the waiver ask exists for.
• Repayment is demanded of the gross bonus rather than what you kept after tax withheld — the amount can differ by thousands from the figures here.
• Your specialty or region's norms differ from the aggregate — the 80% figure is a February 2026 poll across groups, not a local guarantee.

When the numbers aren't enough

• The employer demands repayment after terminating you without cause.
• The clawback exceeds the after-tax amount you received.
• The repayment window is longer than the contract term or has no end date.

Sources

• MGMA Stat: Clawbacks on clinician sign-on bonuses more common (2026)
• IRS Publication 15: Supplemental wages