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How to read your pay stub

A pay stub packs a lot of information into a small space. Here is what every line means, so you can check that your paycheck is correct.

Gross pay

Your total earnings for the pay period before anything is taken out. For salaried workers this is your salary divided by the number of pay periods; for hourly workers it is hours worked times your rate, plus any overtime.

Federal income tax withholding

An estimate of your yearly federal tax, spread across paychecks, based on your salary and Form W-4. This uses the progressive 2026 tax brackets.

Social Security and Medicare (FICA)

Two separate lines: Social Security (6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500) and Medicare (1.45% of all wages). Together these are your FICA taxes.

State and local tax

If your state taxes wages, you will see a state withholding line. Some cities add a local income tax on top.

Pre-tax deductions

Amounts taken out before income tax is calculated — traditional 401(k), HSA, and often health insurance premiums. These lower your taxable income.

Post-tax deductions

Taken out after taxes, such as Roth 401(k) contributions, garnishments or union dues.

Net pay (take-home)

What is left after everything above — the amount that actually reaches your bank account. Compare it against our paycheck calculator estimate to sanity-check your withholding.

Year-to-date (YTD)

Running totals since January 1 for each category. Useful for tracking how much tax you have paid so far this year.

General information for 2026, not tax advice.