Payday! Getting your paycheck is exciting, but it can also be a bit disappointing once you realize how much money you’re actually taking home. Why aren’t you making as much as you expected? Your paycheck stub has all the answers. Show
Though not all paychecks are alike, there are elements that all employers must include. Let’s break it down: Gross Pay vs. Net Pay Let’s say you are making $35,000 a year and you are paid every two weeks — that means you should be taking home $1,346.15 each pay period. But unfortunately, this isn’t the case. $1,346.15 is your gross pay, or the total amount you’ve earned before everything is taken out of your check. Then you are left with your net pay, which is the total amount of money you get to take home. What accounts for the difference between your gross pay and net pay? A ton of deductions and withholdings. Federal Income Taxes When you were first hired, you filled out a W-4 form and claimed the number of tax exemptions you have. This amount tells the federal government how much money to take out of each paycheck to cover your taxes. The more allowances you take the less federal income tax the government will take out of your paycheck. When it comes time to filing your taxes at the end of each year, the amount already taken out will go towards the total you owe. If too much money is withheld from your paycheck, you receive a refund after you file your tax return. If you haven’t paid enough, you could end up owing at the end of the year. Set-it-and-forget-it savings tools to quit living paycheck to paycheck State Income Taxes Many states require a state tax, and the rate varies by state. According to Bankrate, there is no state income tax in Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. And Tennessee and New Hampshire only tax dividends and income from investments. Same as federal taxes, your state income tax will get deducted from your paycheck to cover taxes you may owe at the end of the year. Social Security & Medicare The federal government also deducts money as your contribution to its Social Security and Medicare programs. You’ll be required to give a percentage of your income, currently 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare, to help fund these programs. Your employer must also chip in 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare. The Social Security and Medicare programs are in place to help with your income and insurance needs once you reach retirement age. Insurance & Retirement If you’re on your employer’s insurance plan, this deduction may come out of your paycheck to cover your medical, dental and life insurance premiums. If you sign up for a retirement savings plan, you select a percentage of your salary that you’d like taken out of each pay check to go into a 401(k) or other retirement savings option. If you’re lucky, many employers will match your percentage as an added benefit. Now you know where all that hard-earned money is going. Take a look each pay period and make sure there are no errors. Places with the highest paychecks How we make moneyBankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Bankrate.com does not include all companies or all available products. Bankrate, LLC NMLS ID# 1427381 |
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Use this tool to estimate the federal income tax you want your employer to withhold from your paycheck. This is
tax withholding. See how your withholding affects your refund, take-home pay or tax due. Use this tool to: Results are as accurate as the information you enter. Have this ready: Your information isn't saved. Learn more about Security. Estimator Frequently Asked Questions More on Tax Withholding
W-4 Forms
After You Use the EstimatorUse your estimate to change your tax withholding amount on Form W-4. Or keep the same amount. To change your tax withholding amount:
To keep your same tax withholding amount:
When to Check Your WithholdingCheck your tax withholding every year, especially: When you have a major life change
If you changed your tax withholding mid-year
If you have more questions about your withholding, ask your employer or tax advisor. Why Check Your WithholdingThere are several reasons to check your withholding:
SecurityThe Tax Withholding Estimator doesn't ask for personal information such as your name, social security number, address or bank account numbers. We don't save or record the information you enter in the estimator. For details on how to protect
yourself from scams, see Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts. Help Us Improve Our Site Share your feedback in a 10-minute study for IRS.gov Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 22-Sep-2022 How much money does the government take from your paycheck?6.2% of each of your paychecks is withheld for Social Security taxes and your employer contributes a further 6.2%. However, the 6.2% that you pay only applies to income up to the Social Security tax cap, which for 2022 is $147,000 (up from $142,800 in 2021).
What percentage of my paycheck is withheld for federal tax 2022?The following are aspects of federal income tax withholding that are unchanged in 2022: No withholding allowances on 2020 and later Forms W-4. Supplemental tax rate: 22% Backup withholding rate: 24%
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