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Paycheck & Payroll Tax Guides (2026)

Plain-English guides to paychecks: pay stubs, FICA, W-4, tax brackets, overtime, bonuses and states with no income tax.

How to read a pay stubHow to read your pay stub: gross pay, federal and state withholding, FICA, pre-tax and post-tax deductions, YTD totals and common abbreviat…No tax on overtimeHow the federal “no tax on overtime” deduction works: up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint) of overtime premium, income phase-outs, who qualifies a…What is FICA?FICA tax explained: 6.2% Social Security up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare in 2026, the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax, employer match and se…2026 tax bracketsThe 2026 federal income tax brackets for single, married filing jointly and head of household filers, plus 2026 standard deductions, and ho…States with no income taxThe 9 states with no income tax on wages in 2026 (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wy…How to fill out a W-4A step-by-step guide to the IRS Form W-4: filing status, multiple jobs, dependents, other adjustments and extra withholding, with examples.Gross vs net payGross pay is what you earn before deductions; net pay is what you take home. How to calculate each, with examples.Biweekly vs semi-monthly payBiweekly pay means 26 paychecks a year; semi-monthly means 24. How each affects paycheck size, budgeting, overtime and benefits deductions.How much tax comes out of a paycheck?How much federal, state and FICA tax comes out of a paycheck in 2026, with examples by salary and state, and why your withholding might cha…How bonuses are taxedHow bonuses are taxed in 2026: the 22% flat federal supplemental rate, the aggregate method, FICA, state withholding and how to keep more o…