Paycheck, salary and tax guides
Blog
Plain-English explanations of pay, payroll taxes and deductions, checked against IRS and state sources for the 2026 tax year.
What to Expect From Your First Paycheck at a New Job
Your first paycheck may arrive later, cover only part of a pay period, and skip benefit deductions. Here's what to expect and…
What’s Included in Your Final Paycheck?
What your final paycheck should include after you quit or are let go, how unused PTO and severance are taxed, and when…
How Does Filing Status Affect Your Paycheck?
The filing status you check on your W-4 sets your standard deduction and brackets for withholding. Here is what that does to…
Understanding Federal Income Tax Brackets for 2026
The 2026 federal brackets run from 10% to 37%. Here are the thresholds for each filing status and how they apply to…
Can You Claim Exempt From Federal Withholding?
Claiming exempt stops federal income tax withholding, but only if you owed nothing last year and expect to owe nothing this year.
Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments for Freelancers
Freelancers usually pay tax four times a year. Here are the 2026 due dates, a worked example and the rules for avoiding…
How to Build an Emergency Fund From Each Paycheck
A practical plan for building an emergency fund from regular paychecks, with a target, a timeline and real take-home pay numbers.
Dependent Care FSA Explained
How a dependent care FSA lets you pay for child care and adult day care with pre-tax pay, with rules, deadlines and…
Comparing Salaries Across Cities and States
The same salary takes home different amounts in different places. Here is how to compare offers and moves on take-home pay and…
Commuter Benefits and Your Paycheck
How pre-tax commuter benefits for transit, vanpools and parking work, and how much they can raise your take-home pay compared with paying…