Paycheck Stub

Cool stuff you need to know about your paycheck stub

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Pay Stub Template Downloads

Here's a Microsoft Word Paycheck Stub Template

Here's a Microsoft Excel Paycheck Stub Template

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Quickbooks Payroll Checks

Laser Payroll Checks

Payroll Voucher Checks (for hand-writing)

picture of traditional hand-written blank payroll checks

What is on your Paycheck Stub?

Can You File Your Taxes Using Only A Paycheck Stub?

The paycheck stub contains a lot of useful information, but in order to obtain that information, you need to take the time to review your paycheck stub. Even if you are getting direct deposit, your 'dummy' check that you receive still comes attached to a paycheck stub. Maybe you don't even look at your stub. You might just file away your dummy check and stub or if you get a real live check, the stub may seem just a nuisance to you. But you really should take a few moments and look at your paycheck stub, if for no other reason than to be aware of how much money you are paying in taxes!

Look at your paycheck stub and you can find out how much the federal government is taking out in taxes every time you get paid. This amount is based on how much you make and how many dependents you declare when you filled out your tax filing status when you took your job. You will also see how much tax the state you are working in is taking out of your paycheck. Then there is the amount that is being removed for Social Security. And then there are deductions you have personally chosen...maybe you are having money removed and placed in some kind of retirement fund each paycheck. Or maybe you are having money withheld to spend on medical bills (this can be done before taxes come out and it provides you with a savings). Many companies not only include how much you are making and having deducted this pay period, but they will show you how much you have made so far this year (YTD-year to date) and how much you have had deducted YTD. Other numbers you see on your paycheck stub will be 'gross income' and 'net income.' 'Gross' tells you that's how much money you made before any deductions were taken out. 'Net' tells you how much money you actually get after all of the deductions.

Uses of Your Paycheck Stub

What use is your paycheck stub? Well, besides keeping you informed as mentioned above, those numbers do have uses:

Loan Applications - By using the numbers on your paycheck stub, your bank can help determine your ability to handle a loan.
Assistance Application - By using the numbers on your paycheck stub, government agencies and others can determine whether or not you qualify for types of assistance such as food stamps, reduced or free school lunch, and Medicaid.
Budgeting - By keeping track of what you are making, it can help you to prepare a budget you can live with.
Keeping Track of Hours - If you work for an hourly wage, you can make sure you are getting paid for the hours you put in.
Keeping Track of Overtime - A lot of companies will record the amount paid in overtime separately, so again, you can make sure you received credit for hours worked.
Job Applications - When you have to fill out what you were making at previous jobs, if you have saved your paycheck stubs, this will be easy to do.
Filing taxes - say the company you worked for went out of business and you didn't receive a W-2. You can use your paycheck stub to help you file your taxes. The video on this page tells you how.
Bankruptcy - your attorney is going to need paycheck stubs as part of the paperwork he/she will require to file your bankruptcy papers.
Nostalgia - Don't underestimate the value of being able to look back on paycheck stubs from jobs in years past.
Mulch/gardening - Shredded paycheck stubs along with other papers can be a great part of your lasagna gardening/mulching. They will compose into lovely dirt!
Stablize furniture - Do you have a table that lists to one side? Well, stick some old paycheck stubs underneath the short leg and it will be stablized.