Payroll and tax guides (2026)
Short, plain answers to the questions people ask about pay stubs, withholding and tax forms, using the 2026 IRS and Social Security figures.
How to Make a Pay Stub (2026): Step-by-Step
How to make an accurate pay stub for an employee or yourself in 2026: what information you need, how to calculate taxes and net pay, and what to keep on file.
What Is on a Pay Stub? Every Line and Abbreviation Explained
What each section of a pay stub means: gross pay, federal and state withholding, FICA (OASDI and Medicare), deductions, net pay and year-to-date totals.
2026 Federal Income Tax Brackets and Withholding, Explained
The 2026 federal income tax brackets for single, married and head of household filers, the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 single), and how withholding from a paycheck is worked out.
FICA Taxes in 2026: Social Security and Medicare Rates and Limits
2026 FICA tax rates: Social Security 6.2% on wages up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% on all wages plus 0.9% over $200,000, and what employers and self-employed people pay.
W-2 vs 1099: Employee or Contractor, and What Each Form Means
The difference between W-2 employees and 1099 contractors: who withholds taxes, who pays FICA, which forms are filed and when, with 2026 thresholds.
States With No Income Tax on Wages (2026)
The states that do not tax wages in 2026, and what that means for paycheck withholding.