Guides on pay, taxes, and paperwork
Plain-language explainers on pay stubs, withholding, and the paperwork that comes with getting paid — written to actually be useful.
Pay Period vs. Pay Date: Why the Dates Do Not Match
The pay period is when you worked; the pay date is when you were paid. Confusing the two is the most common reason a stub looks wrong.
Using Pay Stubs as Proof of Income: A Privacy Checklist
What a landlord or lender actually wants, how many pay stubs to send, and what to redact before handing over your payroll records.
Paycheck Deductions Explained: Taxes, Benefits, and More
Which lines on your pay stub reduce take-home pay, which are only informational, and how to tell an error from a normal change.
How Should Overtime Appear on a Pay Stub?
How overtime should appear on a pay stub, why the regular rate includes more than your base wage, and the mistake that costs two weeks.
W-2 Boxes 1, 3, and 5: Why Are the Wage Amounts Different?
Why Boxes 1, 3 and 5 on a W-2 show three different wage figures, what causes the gaps, and how to check them against your pay stubs.
Pre-Tax vs. After-Tax Deductions on a Pay Stub
How pre-tax and after-tax deductions change taxable wages, which benefits fall where, and why the order affects what you keep.
What Does YTD Mean on a Pay Stub?
What the year-to-date column on your pay stub actually totals, why it matters at tax time, and how to spot a mismatch before year-end.
Gross Pay vs. Net Pay: What Actually Reaches Your Bank
Why the figure you earn and the figure that reaches your bank are different, which one lenders ask for, and how to reconcile the two.
Final Paycheck Checklist After Leaving a Job
What to check on your last pay stub after leaving a job: hours, accrued time off, deductions and the year-to-date totals you will need.
FICA Tax on a Pay Stub: Social Security and Medicare 2026
FICA is 7.65% of your pay: 6.2% Social Security up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare with no cap. How to read both lines on a 2026 pay stub.