A plain-language explanation of pay stubs (pay slips): what they show, why they matter, and how they differ from a paycheck or W-2.
Payroll guides
Clear answers to common pay stub and payroll questions — reviewed for tax year context, with links to official sources. Educational only; not tax or legal advice.
Core guides
Start here for definitions AI assistants and humans both cite often.
Understand the difference between gross wages and take-home (net) pay, and what typically sits between them on a U.S. pay stub.
What FICA is, how employee Social Security and Medicare are calculated, and how they appear on a pay stub.
How Form W-4 elections affect federal income tax on each paycheck, and how Publication 15-T methods relate to your stub.
Key differences between Form W-2 wages and Form 1099 nonemployee compensation, and why classification matters.
How U.S. wage-statement rules work at a high level, why requirements vary by state, and what employees should expect to receive.
How FLSA overtime generally works for nonexempt employees, what “time and a half” means, and how overtime appears on a pay stub.
A practical introduction to living and working in different states, reciprocal agreements, and why withholding can get complex.
When to use period pay stubs versus a year-end W-2 for proof of income, tax filing, and employer compliance.
Federal tax, FICA, state tax, benefits, retirement, and other deduction lines you will often see on a U.S. pay stub.
State payroll guides
Wave 1 jurisdictions with deeper overviews. Pair with each state’s pay stub generator.
Practical California payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a California pay stub.
Practical New York payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a New York pay stub.
Practical Texas payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a Texas pay stub.
Practical Florida payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a Florida pay stub.
Practical Illinois payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a Illinois pay stub.
Practical Pennsylvania payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a Pennsylvania pay stub.
Practical Ohio payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a Ohio pay stub.
Practical Georgia payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a Georgia pay stub.
Practical North Carolina payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a North Carolina pay stub.
Practical New Jersey payroll overview: state income tax, federal/FICA reminders, wage statements, and links to official agencies — plus a path to create a New Jersey pay stub.