Pay stub guides
Pay Records for Contractors and the Self-Employed
How contractors and self-employed people differ from W-2 employees, the basics of Form 1099-NEC and self-employment tax, and how to keep clear records of pay.
Pay Stubs for Small Businesses: What to Include, What to Keep
What a small business pay stub should include, which payroll records federal law requires, and how long the IRS and Department of Labor say to keep them.
Pay Frequency: Weekly, Biweekly, Semimonthly, Monthly
Weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly pay schedules compared: paychecks per year, per-check amounts, overtime, deductions and what employers should weigh.
Hourly vs Salaried Pay Stubs: Overtime and Pay Periods
How gross pay is figured on hourly and salaried pay stubs, when overtime applies under federal law, and how salary is split across pay periods, with examples.
Pre-Tax vs After-Tax Deductions on a Pay Stub
How pre-tax deductions (401(k), health premiums) and after-tax deductions (Roth 401(k), garnishments, dues) affect taxes and take-home pay, with an example.
Social Security and Medicare (FICA) on Your Paycheck
How Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) are withheld from pay, the 2026 wage base, the extra 0.9% Medicare tax, and the employer's matching share.
How Federal Income Tax Withholding Works (Form W-4)
How employers calculate federal income tax withholding from the current Form W-4, what each step on the form does, and why withholding can differ from tax owed.
Year-to-Date (YTD) Totals on a Pay Stub, Explained
What the YTD column on a pay stub means, how it is calculated, why it resets each January, and how to check it against your Form W-2 at year end.
Gross Pay vs Net Pay: Where the Money Goes
Gross pay is what you earn; net pay is what you take home. See each tax and deduction between them, with a simple example and tips for checking your stub.
How to Read a Pay Stub, Line by Line
A plain-English walkthrough of every section of a US pay stub: pay period, earnings, taxes, deductions, net pay and year-to-date totals, with an example.