Practical answers to the paycheck and take-home pay questions people ask most — no accountant required.
Practical, plain-language explainers for the questions people actually search — reading a pay stub, comparing pay structures, understanding tax withholding, and final paycheck rules.
A line-by-line guide to gross pay, tax withholding, FICA, pre-tax and post-tax deductions, net pay, and YTD totals — so nothing on your stub is a mystery.
Read the guide →Same annual income, different paycheck math. How overtime eligibility, tax withholding, and pay frequency affect hourly vs. salaried take-home pay.
Read the guide →Final paycheck deadlines, unused vacation pay, and allowed deductions — what your state requires employers to pay when you leave a job.
Read the guide →Federal tax brackets, FICA, and state tax explained with real worked examples, so you know exactly where your withholding comes from.
Read the guide →Jump straight to your state's calculator, tax rates, and payroll rules — all 21 states we cover, listed alphabetically.
Once you understand the basics, put them to work with these calculators.
Payroll and tax terms can get confusing fast. Our glossary breaks down the terms you'll see across these guides and the calculator.
Get a free estimate of your paycheck after federal, state, and FICA taxes in about three minutes.