How to Read a Pay Stub
What every line means, how the numbers connect, and how to tell when one of them is wrong.
A pay stub packs a dozen calculations into half a page, and most of them feed into each other: gross pay drives withholding, pre-tax deductions change what's taxable, and the YTD column is what your W-2 will eventually show. These articles start with the full line-by-line walkthrough and then go deeper on each piece, from decoding abbreviations to the rules for bonuses, garnishments, and imputed income, so you can check your own stub against what it should say.
Articles and tools in this topic
How to Read Your Pay Stub: Every Line Explained
The full walkthrough: what a stub is versus a paycheck, then gross pay, withholding, FICA, deductions, and YTD, with 2026 figures.
Pay Stub Example & Template: What Each Field Means
A field-by-field sample stub showing where each number sits and which lines reviewers check first.
Gross Pay vs Net Pay
What comes out between the two numbers, with a worked $60,000 example.
Every Pay Stub Deduction Explained (2026)
Federal tax, state tax, FICA, health insurance, 401(k), HSA, FSA, each with current rates and limits.
Pay Stub Abbreviations: Complete Glossary
FED, FICA, OASDI, MED, SUI, SUTA, GTL, FSA, HSA and 30+ more, decoded.
What Does YTD Mean on a Pay Stub?
Year-to-date totals, why they reset January 1, and the multi-employer trap behind Social Security over-withholding.
Pay Period vs Pay Date
The work dates and the payment date aren't the same thing, and the pay date is what decides the tax year.
How to Calculate Take-Home Pay (2026)
Gross to net in five steps, with worked examples at $40K, $75K, and $120K.
Commission, Bonus & Tipped Pay on Your Stub
Why a bonus check looks over-taxed: supplemental-wage withholding and the 22% and 37% flat rates.
Imputed Income on Pay Stubs
Group term life over $50K, domestic-partner health coverage, and personal car use, taxed as wages you never received in cash.
Wage Garnishments on Your Pay Stub
Garnishment types, the federal limits that protect take-home pay, and what to do if the amount looks wrong.
How to Read ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, and Paychex Stubs
Where each provider puts gross pay, taxes, and YTD, and what each one calls them.
Pay Stubs for Remote & Multi-State Workers
Why the state tax line can look wrong when you work across state lines, and the reciprocity rules that decide who withholds.
States With No Income Tax (2026)
The nine states where the state-tax line is simply absent, and what that does and doesn't change on the rest of the stub.
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