Free explainer · PDF
Your pay stub, line by line
A worked example: $75,000 salary, paid every two weeks, single, in Texas (2026). What each line on a pay stub means.
1 page, US Letter size, 40 KB. Free, no sign-up.
Sources: Social Security and Medicare rates: Social Security Administration, 2026; federal tax from the PayrollChecks calculator, tax year 2026. Checked October 2026.
Numbers on this sheet can change. We recheck it by January 2027; the PDF at this address is always the latest.
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Printing tips
- Print at actual size (100%), not "fit to page", so the lines stay a usable size.
- It is laid out for US Letter paper and also fits A4.
- Turn on "background graphics" if the colors come out pale.
What is on this explainer
| Gross pay | $2,884.62 | Your pay before anything comes out. $75,000 ÷ 26 paychecks. |
| Federal income tax | -$295.02 | Based on your W-4 and the IRS tables. Settled when you file your return. |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$178.85 | Paid on wages up to the yearly limit. Your employer pays the same again. |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$41.83 | No wage limit. Extra 0.9% on wages over $200,000. |
| State income tax | $0.00 | Texas has none. In most states this line takes another 2% to 5%. |
| Net pay | $2,368.92 | What lands in your bank account. |
