Understanding your pay stub is crucial for managing your personal finances. It's more than just a piece of paper showing your earnings; it's a detailed breakdown of your compensation, taxes, and deductions. This Pay Stub Calculator helps you estimate your gross pay, various withholdings, and ultimately, your net pay for a given pay period.
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 earnings and deductions for a specific pay period. It serves as a record of how your total compensation (gross pay) is reduced by taxes and other deductions to arrive at your take-home pay (net pay).
Key Components of a Pay Stub
1. Gross Pay
This is your total earnings before any taxes or deductions are taken out. It can be calculated based on an hourly rate multiplied by hours worked, or as a portion of your annual salary divided by the number of pay periods.
2. Pre-Tax Deductions
These are deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. Common examples include contributions to a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plan, health insurance premiums, and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions. Because these deductions reduce your taxable income, they can lower the amount of income tax you owe.
3. Taxable Gross Pay
This is the amount of your income that is subject to taxes. It's calculated by subtracting your pre-tax deductions from your gross pay.
4. Taxes Withheld
Several types of taxes are typically withheld from your paycheck:
Federal Income Tax: This tax is levied by the U.S. government. The amount withheld depends on your income, filing status, and the number of allowances/dependents you claim on your W-4 form. Our calculator uses a percentage for simplification.
State Income Tax: Most states also levy an income tax. The amount varies by state and income level. Our calculator uses a percentage for simplification.
Social Security Tax (FICA): This funds retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. The current rate is 6.2% of your taxable gross pay, up to an annual wage base limit (e.g., $168,600 for 2024). Earnings above this limit are not subject to Social Security tax.
Medicare Tax (FICA): This funds hospital insurance for the elderly and disabled. The current rate is 1.45% of your taxable gross pay, with no wage base limit.
5. Post-Tax Deductions
These are deductions taken from your pay *after* taxes have been calculated and withheld. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, garnishments, or certain charitable contributions.
6. Net Pay
Also known as take-home pay, this is the amount of money you actually receive after all taxes and deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay. It's the final amount deposited into your bank account or issued as a check.
How to Use the Pay Stub Calculator
To use this calculator, simply input your relevant earnings information and any deductions you have. The calculator will then provide an estimated breakdown of your pay stub, from gross earnings to net pay.
Important Note on Taxes: For simplicity, this calculator uses a percentage for Federal and State income tax withholding. Actual tax withholding can be more complex, depending on your W-4 elections, filing status, and specific tax brackets. This calculator provides an estimate and should not be used for official tax purposes.
Pay Stub Calculator
Hourly
Salary
Bi-Weekly (26 per year)
Weekly (52 per year)
Semi-Monthly (24 per year)
Monthly (12 per year)
Deductions & Taxes (per pay period)
Estimated Pay Stub Breakdown
Gross Pay:$0.00
Pre-Tax Deductions:$0.00
Taxable Gross:$0.00
Social Security Tax:$0.00
Medicare Tax:$0.00
Federal Income Tax:$0.00
State Income Tax:$0.00
Total Taxes:$0.00
Post-Tax Deductions:$0.00
Net Pay:$0.00
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button:hover {
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.result-container .net-pay {
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color: #28a745; /* Green for net pay */
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padding-top: 10px;
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.result-container .net-pay span {
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function togglePayType() {
var payTypeHourly = document.getElementById('payTypeHourly');
var hourlyInputs = document.getElementById('hourlyInputs');
var salaryInputs = document.getElementById('salaryInputs');
if (payTypeHourly.checked) {
hourlyInputs.style.display = 'block';
salaryInputs.style.display = 'none';
} else {
hourlyInputs.style.display = 'none';
salaryInputs.style.display = 'block';
}
}
function calculatePayStub() {
// Get input values
var payTypeHourly = document.getElementById('payTypeHourly').checked;
var hourlyRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('hourlyRate').value);
var hoursWorked = parseFloat(document.getElementById('hoursWorked').value);
var annualSalary = parseFloat(document.getElementById('annualSalary').value);
var payPeriodFrequency = document.getElementById('payPeriodFrequency').value;
var federalTaxWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById('federalTaxWithholding').value) / 100;
var stateTaxWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById('stateTaxWithholding').value) / 100;
var preTax401k = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTax401k').value);
var preTaxHealthInsurance = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxHealthInsurance').value);
var postTaxOtherDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('postTaxOtherDeductions').value);
// Validate inputs and set to 0 if NaN
if (isNaN(preTax401k)) preTax401k = 0;
if (isNaN(preTaxHealthInsurance)) preTaxHealthInsurance = 0;
if (isNaN(postTaxOtherDeductions)) postTaxOtherDeductions = 0;
if (isNaN(federalTaxWithholding)) federalTaxWithholding = 0;
if (isNaN(stateTaxWithholding)) stateTaxWithholding = 0;
var grossPay = 0;
var payPeriodsPerYear = 0;
switch (payPeriodFrequency) {
case 'weekly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 52;
break;
case 'bi-weekly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 26;
break;
case 'semi-monthly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 24;
break;
case 'monthly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 12;
break;
}
if (payTypeHourly) {
if (isNaN(hourlyRate) || isNaN(hoursWorked) || hourlyRate < 0 || hoursWorked < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for Hourly Rate and Hours Worked.");
return;
}
grossPay = hourlyRate * hoursWorked;
} else { // Salary
if (isNaN(annualSalary) || annualSalary < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid positive number for Annual Salary.");
return;
}
grossPay = annualSalary / payPeriodsPerYear;
}
// Calculate Pre-Tax Deductions
var totalPreTaxDeductions = preTax401k + preTaxHealthInsurance;
// Calculate Taxable Gross Pay
var taxableGross = grossPay – totalPreTaxDeductions;
if (taxableGross < 0) taxableGross = 0; // Ensure taxable gross doesn't go negative
// Calculate FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare)
var socialSecurityRate = 0.062; // 6.2%
var medicareRate = 0.0145; // 1.45%
// var socialSecurityWageBaseLimit = 168600; // For 2024 – not directly used for per-period calculation here
// For simplicity, we apply SS tax to current pay period's taxable gross.
// A full payroll system would track YTD earnings against the annual cap.
var socialSecurityTax = taxableGross * socialSecurityRate;
var medicareTax = taxableGross * medicareRate;
// Calculate Federal and State Income Tax
var federalIncomeTax = taxableGross * federalTaxWithholding;
var stateIncomeTax = taxableGross * stateTaxWithholding;
// Calculate Total Taxes
var totalTaxes = socialSecurityTax + medicareTax + federalIncomeTax + stateIncomeTax;
// Calculate Net Pay
var netPay = grossPay – totalPreTaxDeductions – totalTaxes – postTaxOtherDeductions;
// Display results
document.getElementById('grossPayResult').innerText = '$' + grossPay.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('preTaxDeductionsResult').innerText = '$' + totalPreTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('taxableGrossResult').innerText = '$' + taxableGross.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('socialSecurityTaxResult').innerText = '$' + socialSecurityTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('medicareTaxResult').innerText = '$' + medicareTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('federalTaxResult').innerText = '$' + federalIncomeTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('stateTaxResult').innerText = '$' + stateIncomeTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('totalTaxesResult').innerText = '$' + totalTaxes.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('postTaxDeductionsResult').innerText = '$' + postTaxOtherDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('netPayResult').innerText = '$' + netPay.toFixed(2);
}
// Initialize the calculator display and perform initial calculation
window.onload = function() {
togglePayType();
calculatePayStub(); // Calculate with default values on load
};