Paycheck guides
Short, sourced explanations of how paychecks work. Looking up a term? See the glossary.
- How to Read a Pay Stub
How to read your pay stub: gross pay, pre-tax deductions, federal and state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, net pay and year-to-date totals, line by line. - Form W-4 2026: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
How to fill out the 2026 Form W-4 step by step: filing status, multiple jobs, dependents, the new tips and overtime deductions, and extra withholding. - Biweekly vs Semi-Monthly Pay
Biweekly vs semi-monthly pay: 26 paychecks or 24, how much each paycheck is, three-paycheck months, overtime and budgeting. - Why Your Paycheck Gets Bigger After the Social Security Cap
Why your paycheck jumps once your pay passes the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500, with an example and what happens with two jobs. - How Much Tax Is Taken Out of My Paycheck?
How much tax comes out of a paycheck in 2026: federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax, with the share taken out in every state. - Minimum Wage Increases in 2027
Every state minimum wage increase scheduled for 2027: the new rate, the date, the raise per hour and per year, and the official source for each. - 1099 vs W-2: How Much More a Contractor Needs to Earn
1099 vs W-2 take-home pay in 2026: self-employment tax, the QBI deduction, and how much more 1099 income you need to match a salary. - Who Gets Overtime Pay? FLSA Exemptions Explained
Who is owed overtime under federal law: the 40-hour rule, salaried exemptions, nurses, police, firefighters, truck drivers and the overtime deduction. - How Many Working Days Are in 2026?
Working days and hours in 2026 and 2027 by month, the federal holiday dates, and why pay uses 2,080 hours a year. - Gross Pay vs Net Pay
Gross pay vs net pay: what each means, a 2026 paycheck worked from gross to net, and gross and net pay at common salaries. - HSA vs FSA (2026): Limits, Rules and Your Paycheck
HSA vs FSA for 2026: who can open each, the 2026 limits, what happens to unused money, and how much each saves on your paycheck, with official IRS sources. - No Tax on Tips (2026): Who Qualifies and How Much You Save
No tax on tips explained: who qualifies, what counts as a qualified tip, the $25,000 limit, the income phase-out, and how much federal tax it saves, with IRS sources. - FICA Tax (2026): Rates, Employer Match and What You Pay
FICA tax explained: the 2026 Social Security and Medicare rates, the employer match, the wage base, the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax, and FICA per paycheck at common salaries. - 401(k) Contribution Limit 2026: $24,500 Plus Catch-Up
The 2026 401(k) contribution limit from the IRS, catch-up contributions at 50 and at 60 to 63, the total limit with employer money, how much to put in each paycheck, and the effect on take-home pay. - HSA vs FSA 2027: New Limits for Open Enrollment
HSA vs FSA for the 2027 plan year: the new IRS HSA limits ($4,500 and $9,000), 2027 high-deductible plan rules, the direct primary care rule, the 2027 FSA limit status and the tax saving.