Paycheck explainer videos
Short videos that explain one paycheck topic each, in plain English. Each video has captions, a full transcript, the key numbers and links to the official sources. Every number comes from the same engine as our calculators.
- About 1 to 2 minutes each
- Captions and transcript
- 2026 rules
1:18States with no income tax: what you still payThe 9 states with no state income tax on wages, what employers still withhold, and take-home pay on a $60,000 salary in Texas, Florida, Washington and Alaska compared with California.
1:37No tax on overtime: how the deduction worksThe federal overtime deduction for 2025 to 2028, in plain English: what counts as qualified overtime, a worked example at $25 an hour, the limits, and what does not change.
1:28401(k) contribution limit 2026The 2026 401(k) limits from the IRS: $24,500, the $8,000 catch-up at 50, the $11,250 catch-up at 60 to 63, the amount per paycheck to reach the limit, and the effect on take-home pay.
1:51HSA vs FSA: the 2026 limits and your paycheckHSA vs FSA for 2026 open enrollment: who can use each, the 2026 limits ($4,400 / $8,750 HSA, $3,400 FSA), the $680 carryover, and what $100 a paycheck costs you.
1:13California SDI in 2026California State Disability Insurance (SDI) in 2026: the 1.3% rate, no wage limit, what it pays for, and how much comes out of a paycheck at $60,000, $100,000 and $250,000.
1:38FICA tax: Social Security and Medicare on your paycheckWhat FICA tax is, the 2026 rates (6.2% Social Security up to $184,500, 1.45% Medicare), the employer match, the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax, and examples at $60,000 and $250,000.
1:41Net vs gross pay: what comes out of your paycheckNet vs gross pay on one real paycheck: $25 an hour for 80 hours, a 401(k) and health insurance before taxes, then federal tax, Social Security and Medicare.
1:39No tax on tips: how the $25,000 deduction worksThe federal deduction for tips, 2025 to 2028, in plain English: who qualifies, what counts as a qualified tip, the $25,000 limit, a worked example, and what taxes still apply.
1:08New York City income tax on your paycheckWho pays New York City income tax, and what it takes from a $60,000 paycheck in 2026: state tax, city tax, disability insurance, Paid Family Leave and take-home pay.
1:43Self-employment tax: how to calculate itHow self-employment tax works in 2026: 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit, the $184,500 Social Security wage base, the $400 rule, the deduction for half, and estimated payments.
1:321099 vs W-2: who pays more tax on $60,000A W-2 employee and a 1099 contractor, each paid $60,000 in 2026: who withholds tax, Social Security and Medicare, income tax, and the total federal tax for each.
1:46How to fill out Form W-4, step by stepFill out the 2026 Form W-4 step by step: filing status, multiple jobs, dependents ($2,200 per child under 17), other adjustments, and the effect on your paycheck.
1:08Biweekly vs semimonthly payBiweekly pay (26 paychecks) and semimonthly pay (24 paychecks) compared on a $60,000 salary: gross pay, take-home pay, and the months with three paychecks.
1:31Why your bonus is taxed at 22%Why employers withhold 22% federal income tax from a bonus, what a $5,000 bonus pays after taxes, the aggregate method, and why 22% is not your final tax.
1:53HSA vs FSA 2027: the new limits for open enrollmentThe 2027 HSA limits from the IRS ($4,500 self-only, $9,000 family), the 2027 high-deductible plan rules, the new direct primary care rule, and what to know about the health FSA for 2027.
1:25How much tax is taken out of my paycheck?How much tax comes out of a paycheck in 2026: federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare at $40,000, $60,000 and $100,000, and what state tax adds in California and New York.
1:34Social Security wage base 2026: why your paycheck gets biggerThe 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500 ($192,300 in 2027), when Social Security tax stops, and how much bigger the paycheck gets, with a $240,000 salary example.
1:16$60,000 salary: take-home pay for each paycheckThe parts of one paycheck on a $60,000 salary paid every two weeks in 2026: gross pay, federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and take-home pay in Texas and California.