Income
Gross is the contract rate. Net is what hits the bank. Everything between them is either a tax, a benefit you chose, or a W-4 setting you can change. In 2026 the Social Security wage base is $184,500 and the federal standard deduction is $16,100 single / $32,200 joint.
Updated 2026-09-08 · 8 min read
Gross / current / YTD. Hours × rate, or salary ÷ pay periods (26 biweekly, 24 semimonthly, 12 monthly). YTD is how you catch a missed raise or a bonus coded as regular.
Pretax deductions. Traditional 401(k), HSA, many health premiums. These shrink the box that federal withholding looks at. They usually show as negative amounts or a separate “before-tax” column.
FICA. Social Security 6.2% until YTD Social Security wages hit $184,500, then that line goes to $0 for the rest of the year. Medicare 1.45% has no wage cap. Additional Medicare 0.9% starts after $200,000 of Medicare wages ($250,000 joint) — often mid-year for high earners, which is why a later stub can look “more taxed” without a raise.
Federal and state withholding. Not your actual tax, your employer's guess using the W-4 and Publication 15-T. If this number is wild relative to last year's return, fix the form, don't wait for April. How to fill out a W-4.
Post-tax. Roth 401(k), garnishments, some disability. Roth leaves the stub after federal withholding is computed, which is why two people at 6% “to the 401(k)” can have different take-home.
Net. Direct deposit. If you want a raise to show up in the household, look at net plus pretax retirement plus HSA — that is real inflow, even if it never hits checking.
A traditional 401(k) is not “free.” It is income you delayed. It does not cut Social Security or Medicare. An HSA contribution through payroll usually does cut FICA — that is part of the triple-tax story in the HSA guide.
Match dollars often do not appear as take-home. They still belong on your net-worth sheet. Vesting lives in the plan document, not on this stub. Never skip the match.
Run the numbers: 2026 paycheck calculator — brackets, FICA wage base, W-4 extra suggestion, shareable link. Then set the form.
Federal income tax, FICA, state tax, and pretax 401(k)/HSA/insurance. A 22% “bracket” is not your all-in rate.
Traditional 401(k): no. HSA payroll: usually yes. Roth 401(k): neither tax on the stub.
Both mean the W-4 is wrong. Aim to break even. A refund is an interest-free loan to Treasury.
Educational only. Confirm IRS Publication 15-T, the Social Security wage base, and your state. Not tax advice.