Free Pay Stub Template with Calculator No Watermark

Pay Stub Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate your net pay based on your gross earnings and common deductions. Understand each component of your pay stub to manage your finances effectively.

Pre-Tax Deductions

Tax Withholdings (per Pay Period)

Note: Federal, State, and Local taxes are highly variable. Enter the amount typically withheld from your pay.

Post-Tax Deductions

function calculatePayStub() { var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossPay').value); var preTax401k = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTax401k').value); var preTaxHealth = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxHealth').value); var preTaxOther = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxOther').value); var federalTax = parseFloat(document.getElementById('federalTax').value); var stateTax = parseFloat(document.getElementById('stateTax').value); var localTax = parseFloat(document.getElementById('localTax').value); var socialSecurityRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('socialSecurityRate').value); var medicareRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('medicareRate').value); var postTaxOther = parseFloat(document.getElementById('postTaxOther').value); // Validate inputs if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) { document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = 'Please enter a valid Gross Pay.'; return; } if (isNaN(preTax401k) || preTax401k < 0) preTax401k = 0; if (isNaN(preTaxHealth) || preTaxHealth < 0) preTaxHealth = 0; if (isNaN(preTaxOther) || preTaxOther < 0) preTaxOther = 0; if (isNaN(federalTax) || federalTax < 0) federalTax = 0; if (isNaN(stateTax) || stateTax < 0) stateTax = 0; if (isNaN(localTax) || localTax < 0) localTax = 0; if (isNaN(socialSecurityRate) || socialSecurityRate < 0) socialSecurityRate = 0; if (isNaN(medicareRate) || medicareRate < 0) medicareRate = 0; if (isNaN(postTaxOther) || postTaxOther < 0) postTaxOther = 0; // 1. Calculate Total Pre-Tax Deductions var totalPreTaxDeductions = preTax401k + preTaxHealth + preTaxOther; // 2. Calculate Taxable Gross Pay (for FICA taxes) // Note: Federal/State/Local income taxes are typically calculated on a different taxable gross, // but for this calculator, we take the user's input for those specific withholdings. // FICA taxes (SS/Medicare) are generally calculated on the full gross pay before pre-tax deductions. // However, some pre-tax deductions (like 401k, health insurance) can reduce taxable income for income tax purposes, // but not for FICA taxes. For simplicity in this calculator, we'll apply FICA to the initial gross pay. var ficaGrossPay = grossPay; // 3. Calculate FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare) var socialSecurityTax = ficaGrossPay * (socialSecurityRate / 100); // Social Security has an annual wage base limit, but for a single pay period calculation, we apply the rate directly. var medicareTax = ficaGrossPay * (medicareRate / 100); // 4. Calculate Total Taxes Withheld var totalTaxesWithheld = federalTax + stateTax + localTax + socialSecurityTax + medicareTax; // 5. Calculate Total Post-Tax Deductions var totalPostTaxDeductions = postTaxOther; // 6. Calculate Total Deductions var totalDeductions = totalPreTaxDeductions + totalTaxesWithheld + totalPostTaxDeductions; // 7. Calculate Net Pay var netPay = grossPay – totalDeductions; // Display Results var resultHtml = '

Pay Stub Summary

'; resultHtml += 'Gross Pay: $' + grossPay.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += '

Deductions:

'; resultHtml += 'Pre-Tax 401(k): $' + preTax401k.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Pre-Tax Health Insurance: $' + preTaxHealth.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Other Pre-Tax Deductions: $' + preTaxOther.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Federal Income Tax: $' + federalTax.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'State Income Tax: $' + stateTax.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Local Income Tax: $' + localTax.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Social Security Tax: $' + socialSecurityTax.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Medicare Tax: $' + medicareTax.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Other Post-Tax Deductions: $' + postTaxOther.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += '
'; resultHtml += 'Total Pre-Tax Deductions: $' + totalPreTaxDeductions.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Total Taxes Withheld: $' + totalTaxesWithheld.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Total Post-Tax Deductions: $' + totalPostTaxDeductions.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += 'Total Deductions: $' + totalDeductions.toFixed(2) + "; resultHtml += '
'; resultHtml += 'Net Pay: $' + netPay.toFixed(2) + "; document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = resultHtml; } .calculator-container { font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 25px; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08); max-width: 700px; margin: 30px auto; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; } .calculator-container h2 { color: #2c3e50; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 1.8em; } .calculator-container h3 { color: #34495e; margin-top: 25px; margin-bottom: 15px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; padding-bottom: 8px; font-size: 1.3em; } .calculator-container p { color: #555; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; } .calc-input-group { margin-bottom: 15px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; } .calc-input-group label { margin-bottom: 7px; color: #333; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.95em; } .calc-input-group input[type="number"] { padding: 10px 12px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1em; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; transition: border-color 0.3s ease; } .calc-input-group input[type="number"]:focus { border-color: #007bff; outline: none; box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.25); } .calculate-button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 12px 20px; background-color: #28a745; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 25px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease; } .calculate-button:hover { background-color: #218838; transform: translateY(-2px); } .calculate-button:active { transform: translateY(0); } .result-container { background-color: #e9f7ef; border: 1px solid #d4edda; border-radius: 8px; padding: 20px; margin-top: 30px; font-size: 1.1em; color: #155724; } .result-container h3 { color: #155724; margin-top: 0; padding-bottom: 10px; border-bottom: 1px solid #c3e6cb; font-size: 1.5em; } .result-container h4 { color: #155724; margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 1.2em; } .result-container p { margin-bottom: 8px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; } .result-container p strong { color: #0a3615; } .result-container .highlight { font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: bold; color: #0056b3; margin-top: 15px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 2px solid #a2d2ff; } .result-container hr { border: none; border-top: 1px dashed #c3e6cb; margin: 15px 0; } .result-container .error { color: #dc3545; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; } .calculator-container p em { font-size: 0.9em; color: #6c757d; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; }

Understanding Your Pay Stub: A Comprehensive Guide

Your pay stub is more than just a piece of paper showing how much you've earned; it's a detailed breakdown of your compensation, taxes, and other deductions. Understanding each line item is crucial for financial planning, verifying accuracy, and ensuring you're contributing correctly to your benefits and retirement. This guide, along with our free pay stub calculator, will help you demystify your earnings.

What is a Pay Stub?

A pay stub, also known as an earnings statement or payslip, is a document provided by an employer to an employee that details the employee's gross pay, net pay, and all deductions made during a specific pay period. It serves as a record of your earnings and withholdings for tax purposes and personal financial tracking.

Key Components of a Pay Stub

While formats may vary, most pay stubs include the following essential information:

1. Employee and Employer Information

  • Employee Name and Address: Your personal identification.
  • Employer Name and Address: The company you work for.
  • Pay Period Dates: The start and end dates for which you are being paid.
  • Pay Date: The date your payment was issued.

2. Gross Pay

Gross pay is your total earnings before any taxes or deductions are taken out. This can be calculated in several ways:

  • Hourly Wage: Your hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours worked.
  • Salary: A fixed amount paid over a specific period (e.g., bi-weekly, semi-monthly).
  • Commissions: Earnings based on sales or performance.
  • Bonuses: Additional payments for performance or special achievements.
  • Overtime Pay: Higher rate for hours worked beyond standard workweeks.

3. Pre-Tax Deductions

These are amounts subtracted from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income, meaning you pay less in federal, state, and sometimes local income taxes. Common pre-tax deductions include:

  • 401(k) Contributions: Money you contribute to your retirement savings plan.
  • Health Insurance Premiums: Your share of the cost for health, dental, or vision insurance.
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) / Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Funds set aside for healthcare or dependent care expenses.
  • Commuter Benefits: Money used for public transportation or parking.

4. Tax Withholdings

These are mandatory deductions that go towards various government taxes. The amounts withheld depend on your income, filing status, and the information you provided on your W-4 form (for federal taxes) and state tax forms.

  • Federal Income Tax: Withheld by the IRS based on your income and W-4 elections.
  • State Income Tax: Withheld by your state government (not applicable in all states).
  • Local Income Tax: Withheld by your city or county government (applicable in some areas).
  • Social Security Tax (FICA): Funds Social Security benefits. The current rate is 6.2% of your gross pay, up to an annual wage base limit (e.g., $168,600 for 2024).
  • Medicare Tax (FICA): Funds Medicare benefits. The current rate is 1.45% of your gross pay, with no wage base limit. An additional Medicare tax of 0.9% applies to wages over a certain threshold ($200,000 for single filers).

5. Post-Tax Deductions

These deductions are taken out of your pay after all applicable taxes have been calculated and withheld. They do not reduce your taxable income. Examples include:

  • Roth 401(k) Contributions: Retirement contributions made with after-tax dollars.
  • Garnishments: Court-ordered deductions for debts like child support or student loans.
  • Union Dues: Fees paid to a labor union.
  • Charitable Contributions: Donations made directly from your paycheck.
  • Life Insurance Premiums: For policies not offered on a pre-tax basis.

6. Net Pay

Net pay, also known as take-home pay, is the amount of money you actually receive after all pre-tax deductions, taxes, and post-tax deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay. This is the amount that gets deposited into your bank account or issued as a check.

Why is Understanding Your Pay Stub Important?

  • Financial Planning: Knowing your net pay helps you budget and manage your monthly expenses.
  • Error Checking: You can verify that your hours, pay rate, and deductions are correct. Mistakes can happen, and catching them early is important.
  • Tax Preparation: Your pay stub provides year-to-date totals for earnings and withholdings, which are essential for filing your income taxes.
  • Benefit Tracking: It confirms your contributions to retirement plans, health insurance, and other benefits.
  • Loan Applications: Lenders often require pay stubs as proof of income.

How to Use the Pay Stub Calculator

Our calculator simplifies the process of estimating your net pay. Simply input your gross pay for the period and the amounts for your various deductions and tax withholdings. The calculator will then provide a detailed breakdown, showing your total deductions and your final net pay.

Example Scenario:

Let's say you earn $2,500 gross pay bi-weekly. Your deductions are:

  • Pre-Tax 401(k): $125
  • Pre-Tax Health Insurance: $75
  • Federal Income Tax Withheld: $300
  • State Income Tax Withheld: $100
  • Local Income Tax Withheld: $25
  • Social Security Tax: 6.2% of $2,500 = $155.00
  • Medicare Tax: 1.45% of $2,500 = $36.25
  • Other Post-Tax Deductions: $10

Using the calculator, you would input these values. The calculator would then determine:

  • Total Pre-Tax Deductions: $125 + $75 = $200.00
  • Total Taxes Withheld: $300 + $100 + $25 + $155 + $36.25 = $616.25
  • Total Post-Tax Deductions: $10.00
  • Total Deductions: $200 + $616.25 + $10 = $826.25
  • Net Pay: $2,500 – $826.25 = $1,673.75

This calculator provides a clear, itemized summary, helping you understand exactly where your money goes each pay period.

Conclusion

Your pay stub is a vital financial document. Taking the time to understand its components empowers you to make informed financial decisions, verify the accuracy of your pay, and plan for your future. Use our free pay stub calculator to gain clarity on your earnings and deductions today!

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