How to Estimate Your Tax Refund Using Your Last Pay Stub
Use a recent pay stub to organize YTD withholding and expected remaining payments for a federal refund estimate, plus what the stub cannot tell you.
Payroll resources
Payroll Deductions
Federal Withholding vs. Tax Liability vs. Tax Refund
Understand the difference between paycheck withholding, annual tax liability and a tax refund, with a simple example and guidance on choosing a calculator.
Why Did My Federal Withholding Change With the Same Pay?
Compare taxable wages, W-4 entries, pay frequency and payroll adjustments to see why federal withholding changed when your gross pay stayed the same.
Federal Income Tax Withholding on a Pay Stub: 2026 Guide
Understand federal income tax withholding on a pay stub, review W-4 inputs, and separate paycheck estimates from your final tax liability in 2026.
Imputed Income on a Pay Stub: Noncash Benefits Explained
Understand noncash benefits and offsets with a worked net-pay example. Check taxable wages without counting imputed income twice.
Bonus Paystub Withholding: Why the Deposit Is Smaller Than the Bonus
Why a bonus deposit is smaller than the bonus: how bonus withholding works, how to read a bonus pay stub, and how withholding differs from tax owed.
Zero Net Pay on a Paystub: A Practical Review Checklist
A $0 net pay stub usually means deductions, noncash pay or a payment adjustment used up gross pay. Here’s how to check each one.
Expense Reimbursements on Paystubs: Keep Them Separate From Earnings
Why reimbursements appear separately from wages on a pay stub, how accountable plans work, and how to reconcile expenses without overstating pay.
Why Paystub YTD Gross Pay Can Differ From W-2 Box 1
Compare year-to-date gross earnings with federal taxable wages and identify the records needed to explain a difference.
Understanding Overtime on a Pay Stub | PayStubPro Blog
Calculate overtime at 1.5× by workweek, follow worked examples, and check overtime on a two-week pay stub without double-counting it.
Social Security and Medicare Withholding Explained | PayStubPro Blog
Review 2026 employee FICA, prior taxable wages and threshold examples. Separate employee withholding from employer costs and Additional Medicare amounts.
What Is FICA on a Pay Stub?
Understand Social Security and Medicare deductions, 2026 FICA rates, wage limits and Additional Medicare withholding with a simple pay stub example.
Earnings and Deductions Explained | PayStubPro Blog
Understand the earnings and deductions sections of a pay stub, including regular pay, overtime, taxes and voluntary withholdings.
Pay Stub Deductions Explained: Taxes, Benefits and Net Pay
Understand FIT, FICA, state withholding, insurance and retirement deductions. Review 2026 thresholds and a worked gross-to-net example.