Pay Stub Checker
Think your paycheck looks short? Enter your gross pay for one paycheck. We'll show the exact Social Security and Medicare that should be withheld, explain the other lines, and flag what a legal pay stub must include.
On $2,000.00 of gross pay, these two are fixed by law:
| Social Security (6.2%) | $124.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $29.00 |
| Total FICA (7.65%) | $153.00 |
If your stub's Social Security and Medicare don't add up to about $153.00, something is off. (Social Security stops once your year-to-date wages pass $176,100.00.) Federal and state income-tax withholding is on top of this and varies with your W-4 and state, so those lines won't match a fixed percentage.
What a legal pay stub must show
Most states that require stubs require these. If yours is missing several, that's a red flag:
- Employer name and address, and your name
- Pay period start and end dates
- Gross pay, and hours and rate if you're hourly
- Each deduction listed separately (taxes, benefits, garnishments)
- Year-to-date totals
- Net (take-home) pay
Red flags worth questioning
- Social Security + Medicare don't total 7.65% of gross (and you're a regular W-2 employee).
- Deductions for cash-register shortages, breakage, or uniforms that push you below minimum wage — many states ban these.
- No itemized deductions, no year-to-date totals, or no employer name.
- You're paid as a 1099 contractor but treated like an employee (set hours, supervision) — misclassification.
Related
- Pay stub laws by state — is your employer required to give one?
- Final paycheck laws by state — when you legally get your last check
- Best payroll apps with mobile pay stub access — Gusto vs ADP vs Paychex
- How to view your ADP pay stubs on mobile
Social Security and Medicare rates are set by the federal government (see the SSA and IRS Topic 751). This tool is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm specifics with the IRS or your state labor office.