Your federal and state percentages will differ. The tool lets you set both. Default FICA rates match IRS employee rates for 2026 (IRS, 2026).
What is FICA on every paycheck?
FICA funds Social Security and Medicare.
Social Security takes 6.2% of wages. That tax stops at the annual wage base. For 2026, the base is $184,500 (IRS, 2026).
Medicare takes 1.45% with no wage cap. Employers pay a matching share of both taxes. The match never shows on your stub.
How does state income tax change your net pay?
Nine states skip wage income tax entirely.
They are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Paychecks there lose only federal tax and FICA.
How state tax systems differ| System | Examples | Effect on your stub |
|---|
| No wage tax | Texas, Florida, Washington | State line stays at zero |
| Flat tax | Illinois, Pennsylvania | One rate at every income |
| Graduated tax | California, New York | Rate climbs with income |
Set the state field to zero in no-tax states. Graduated states make any flat estimate rough. Your real state withholding follows tables, not simple rates.
How is overtime pay calculated?
Federal law sets the overtime standard.
Hours beyond 40 in a week pay 1.5 times your base rate. (U.S. Department of Labor) The rule comes from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
At $30 per hour, overtime pays $45. Four overtime hours add $180 of gross pay. The generator applies the same 1.5 multiplier.
Who needs a pay stub generator?
More people than you might expect.
Self-employed people often need simple income records. Many landlords ask for two recent stubs with rental applications. Our lease agreement guide explains what they check.
New business owners write their first stubs by hand. Household employers pay nannies and caregivers. A free printable pay stub generator with taxes helps in each case.
Forming an LLC adds payroll duties later. Our LLC formation cost guide covers the setup side.
Which states require employers to give pay stubs?
No federal law forces employers to hand out stubs.
Most states still require some form of pay statement. The details vary a lot by state.
California demands an itemized statement with every paycheck. (California Labor Code 226) Texas requires a written earnings statement each pay period. Check your state labor department for the current rule.
What can this tool not do?
An honest tool needs honest limits.
This generator estimates withholding from percentages you choose. It cannot read your W-4. Real payroll software applies IRS tables and your elections.
A generated stub is not proof of employment. Never use one to invent income. That is fraud in every state.
Use it for estimates, teaching, templates, and honest record keeping. Pair it with bank statements for real proof of income.
How do you print or save the finished stub?
The download button builds a Word file in your browser. The print button opens your system print dialog.
Choose "Save as PDF" in that dialog for a PDF copy. Both outputs stay watermark free. No account is needed at any step.
Next steps
Try the free printable pay stub generator with taxes above first. Match one result against a real payroll run.
Then set your own percentages from your W-4 and state tables. Keep copies of every stub you issue. Small records like these build clean books.
Need proof of income for housing? Read our lease agreement guide next.
Running a small business? Start with the LLC cost guide linked above.
Photo: stevepb, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/calculator-calculation-insurance-385506/)
Fazlur Rahman
