Pay Stub Maker Guide

What makes a good pay stub?

A pay stub is more than a slip of paper. It's a legal record of compensation. Whether you're a small business owner creating pay documentation or a worker verifying your take-home pay, the accuracy of every field matters.

A complete pay stub covers every field: employer information, employee details, earnings by type, tax withholdings, and benefit deductions. Whatever tool you use, review each one before the pay stub is issued.

✓ Good practices

Use the employee's legal name
Include the EIN on employer pay stubs
Break earnings out by type (regular, OT, bonus)
Show each deduction separately
Include year-to-date totals where required
List the exact pay period start and end dates

✗ Common mistakes

Combining all earnings into one line
Omitting the pay period dates
Including incorrect tax withholding amounts
Using nickname instead of legal name
Forgetting to include all deduction types
Entering full SSN (last 4 digits only)

Pay stub fields explained

Each field on a pay stub serves a specific purpose. Here's what each one means and why it matters.

Field	What it means
Employer Name / EIN	Identifies the company. The EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the tax ID issued by the IRS. Required for W-2 wages.
Employee Name / ID	The employee's legal name as it appears on tax documents. The ID is an internal reference number.
Pay Period	The start and end dates of the work period being paid. Common frequencies: weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly.
Pay Date	The date the employee receives payment. May differ from the period end date by a few days.
Regular Earnings	Hours worked at the standard rate. Typically hours × hourly rate, or salary divided by pay periods per year.
Overtime Earnings	Hours worked beyond 40 per week (federal standard) at the overtime rate. Federal minimum is 1.5× regular rate.
Gross Pay	Total earnings before any deductions. Includes regular pay, overtime, bonuses, and commissions.
Federal Income Tax	Withheld based on the employee's W-4 and the IRS withholding tables. Varies by filing status and allowances.
Social Security	6.2% of gross wages up to the annual wage base ($184,500 in 2026). Paid by both employee and employer.
Medicare	1.45% of all wages with no wage cap. An additional 0.9% applies to high earners above $200,000.
State Income Tax	Varies by state. Some states have no income tax (TX, FL, etc.). Others have graduated or flat rates.
Net Pay	Gross pay minus all deductions. The amount the employee actually receives.
YTD (Year-to-Date)	Cumulative totals from January 1 of the current year through the current pay period.

Hourly employees

For hourly workers, gross pay is calculated by multiplying hours worked by the hourly rate. Overtime hours (over 40 per week) must be paid at least 1.5× the regular rate under the FLSA.

Track regular and overtime hours separately
Use the Hourly Pay Calculator to verify amounts
Include all shift differentials as separate line items

Salaried employees

For salaried employees, divide the annual salary by the number of pay periods per year. A $60,000/year employee paid bi-weekly receives $2,307.69 per period.

Use the Salary Calculator to verify net pay
Include bonuses and commissions as additional earnings
Still apply all applicable taxes and deductions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a pay stub maker and a payroll service?

A pay stub maker creates pay stub documents. A payroll service processes actual payroll: it calculates withholdings, handles direct deposits, and files payroll taxes with the IRS and state agencies. StubEasy is not a payroll service, and its online pay stub generator is not available yet. You are responsible for accurate withholding amounts and compliance with payroll tax laws.

Can I use a pay stub from StubEasy as proof of income?

Lenders, landlords, and other parties set their own documentation requirements. No pay stub tool can guarantee acceptance by a third party. Always confirm what documentation is required before submitting.

How do I calculate the correct tax withholding for a pay stub?

Use our Paycheck Calculator to estimate federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax for a given pay period and filing status. Then check those amounts against the deductions on the pay stub.

Does StubEasy store my pay stub data?

StubEasy's online pay stub generator is not available yet. Our calculators run in your browser and do not send the numbers you enter to our servers. For how we handle messages you send us, see our Privacy Policy.

Related resources

Create a Pay Stub What Is a Pay Stub? Pay Stub Fields Explained Paycheck Calculator 1099 Tax Calculator All Guides