Understand your paycheck
Check hours, gross pay, deductions, and take-home pay.
You will learnVerify hours, gross pay, deductions, and net pay on a real pay stub.
Quick scenario
Choose an answer to see the explanation.Alex worked 18 hours at $18 an hour. What is the expected gross pay before deductions?
Worked example
Checking a pay stub
Alex worked 18 hours at $18 per hour. The expected gross pay is $324. After $60.79 in illustrative taxes and deductions, the example net pay is $263.21.
18 × $18 = $324 gross; $324 − $60.79 = $263.21 net
Key ideas
Three things to know
Gross pay and net pay
Gross pay is what you earned before taxes and other deductions. Net pay is what remains. A pay stub explains the path between the two.
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- Pay period: the dates covered by this check
- Current: this paycheck's amount
- Year to date: the running total for the year
- Deductions: taxes, benefits, or other authorized amounts
How to check a possible error
Suppose Alex's time record shows 19.5 hours but the pay stub shows 18. First compare the pay-period dates. If the records cover the same dates, the 1.5-hour difference represents $27 in gross pay to ask payroll about.
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1.5 missing hours × $18 = $27 possible gross-pay difference
Save your pay records
Save pay stubs and time records. If something still looks wrong after checking dates, hours, rate, and deductions, contact the employer's payroll person with the exact line you are questioning.
Practice
Use the four-number payday check
Use the example first. Then change one number and compare the result.
Interactive calculator
Check a paycheck
Compare expected gross pay with deductions and take-home pay.
Knowledge check
Check your understanding
Question 1 of 2