Paycheck & tax guides
Short, practical explanations of where your money goes, written to answer the questions people actually ask about their pay.
Looking for data? Read the 2026 Take-Home Pay Report.
- How to Read Your Pay Stub (Every Line Explained)What FED WH, OASDI, MED and all the other codes on your pay stub mean, walked through line by line with a real 2026 example.
- How to Fill Out a W-4 in 2026 (Including the New Tips and Overtime Lines)A step-by-step walkthrough of the 2026 Form W-4, when to update it, and how to use the new lines for tips, overtime and other deductions.
- Why Is My Paycheck Smaller Than I Expected?The seven usual reasons your take-home pay is lower than your salary suggests, and how to figure out which one applies to you.
- Bonus Tax Rate 2026: Why Your Bonus Looks So Heavily TaxedBonuses are usually withheld at a flat 22% federal rate plus FICA and state tax. Here's how the math works, and why you may get some of it back.
- Marginal vs. Effective Tax Rate: What You Actually PayWhy being in the 22% tax bracket doesn't mean you pay 22%, and why moving into a higher bracket won't lower your take-home pay. Worked through with 2026 numbers.
- States With No Income Tax in 2026: Is Moving Worth It?The nine states that don't tax wages, how much more you'd actually take home, and the costs that can quietly cancel out the savings.
- How 401(k) and HSA Contributions Change Your Take-Home PayWhy putting $4,200 in a 401(k) only costs you about $3,100 in take-home pay, plus the 2026 limits for 401(k), HSA and FSA accounts.
- Live in One State, Work in Another: How Your Taxes WorkWhich state taxes your paycheck when you commute or work remotely across state lines, how the credit for taxes paid works, and the states with reciprocity agreements.