Giving someone a bonus? Make it land — with a warm, professional letter that puts the good news in writing. A Bonus / Incentive Award Letter is the clean, signed way for a manager or HR to confirm a ONE-TIME award (not a raise — this is a single payment), and PaperKit drafts a polished one in seconds. Pick the TYPE of bonus — a SPOT / discretionary thank-you, an ANNUAL or performance bonus, a SIGNING bonus for a new hire, a RETENTION bonus to keep someone great, a REFERRAL bonus for a good introduction, or a PROJECT / MILESTONE award — and it reshapes the whole letter: the subtitle, the announcement, the recognition paragraph, and the closing. Then choose what to EMPHASIZE — the RESULTS they delivered, their TEAMWORK, going ABOVE AND BEYOND, or simple APPRECIATION — and it rewrites the recognition line for you. Want the specifics on record? Flip on BONUS DETAILS and lay out the amount, when it's paid, the type, and any withholding note as clean bullet points (you type them — PaperKit does no math). It's a letter TO your employee, so you (the manager or HR rep) e-sign it online and send them the polished PDF — there's no second signature. Distinct from a salary increase letter: this is a one-time payment, not a change to base pay. (This is a courtesy HR letter, not legal, tax, or HR advice — confirm the binding figures, payment date, and any withholding through payroll and your official records.)
The big lever — it reshapes the whole letter: the subtitle, the announcement, the recognition paragraph, and the closing. Pick the type of one-time award.
Spot / discretionary — frames it as a one-time thank-you awarded in the moment for a job well done.
Overrides the recognition line — the sentence that says what the bonus is being tied to. The results they delivered, their teamwork, going above and beyond, or simple appreciation.
Results delivered — the recognition line ties the bonus directly to the impact of their work.
Your company appears on the letterhead and you — the manager or HR rep — e-sign the hosted letter. This is a letter TO the employee, so there's no second signature.
Who the letter is addressed to. Their role and the payment date shape the opening line.
Off = a clean narrative letter. On = PaperKit adds a “here are the details of this bonus…” block that lays out the amount, when it's paid, the type, and any withholding note as clear bullets. (One line per item, in your own words — PaperKit does no math, it just prints the list you type.)
Turn on what applies. A thank-you paragraph and a looking-forward line are on by default.
A real bonus award letter. The type reshapes the opening & recognition paragraph; the emphasis rewrites the recognition line; the bonus-details bullets appear only if you turn them on. Publish to get a hosted link you can e-sign online.
$9/mo — remove the DRAFT watermark + “Made with PaperKit” badge, unlimited clean-PDF letters, and Pro across every tool.
A bonus / incentive award letter is a template for convenience, not legal, tax, or HR advice. It is a courtesy letter confirming a one-time award; it does not by itself create, calculate, or guarantee any payment, the employee's compensation, benefits, or terms of employment, and it is not an employment contract. Confirm the binding figures, payment date, and any withholding through your organization's official payroll and records. PaperKit is not a law firm and records electronic signature via the signer's typed name.