Maeve Orenboz

Proof of Income for a Car Loan: What Lenders Accept (Self-Employed Too)

What lenders accept as proof of income for a car loan: pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements. The 15% payment rule, a self-employed example, how income is verified.

Minimum Wage Increases 2027: Every State Raising Pay on January 1

15 states raise the minimum wage on January 1, 2027: Washington $17.73, California $17.40, Michigan $15.00 and more. Full list, tipped rates, payroll checklist.

IRS Mileage Rate 2026 and 2027: 76¢ Since July, and What's Next

2026 IRS mileage rate: 72.5¢ a mile to June 30, 76¢ from July 1. How to split your miles, reimbursements on pay stubs, and when the 2027 rate is due.

How to Pay Taxes When Self-Employed: 2026 Guide and Example

Self-employed? You pay 15.3% self-employment tax plus income tax in quarterly estimates. A $60,000 example, safe-harbor rules, 2026–2027 due dates, forms.

What Is FUTA Tax? 2026 Rate, $7,000 Wage Base and Form 940

FUTA is a federal unemployment tax only employers pay: 6.0% of the first $7,000, usually 0.6% after the state credit. Example, 2026 rates, Form 940.

Semi-Monthly Pay: Meaning, 24 Paychecks and Per-Check Math

Semi-monthly means paid twice a month, 24 paychecks a year. What it looks like on a pay stub, per-check amounts at common salaries, and vs biweekly.

W-2 vs W-4: What Each Form Does and When You Get It

A W-4 tells your employer how much tax to withhold; a W-2 reports what was withheld. How the two connect, what changed for 2026, and when to update.

Gig Worker Proof of Income: Uber, Lyft, DoorDash & Instacart

No pay stubs from Uber, Lyft, DoorDash or Instacart? Where to download each app’s earnings statements and 1099s, and how to show one monthly income figure.

Proof of Income for an Apartment: What Landlords Accept

What counts as proof of income for an apartment, the 3x rent rule worked out, offer letters, self-employed renters and what to do if you fall short.

How to Make a Pay Stub: Step by Step, With a Worked Example

How to make a pay stub: gross pay, federal and state withholding, FICA, net pay and YTD, worked through on a real Illinois example. Generator, payroll or template.

What Is OASDI Tax? The Line on Your Pay Stub, Explained

OASDI is Social Security tax: 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026 and $192,300 in 2027. How to check it, why it stops, and who is exempt.

Paid in Cash? How to Show Proof of Income

How to prove cash income to a landlord or lender: what employees should ask for, how the self-employed build a paper trail, and what not to do.