🇺🇸 Made for the USA

USA Pay Stub Generator —
Free Paycheck Stub Maker

Create accurate American pay stubs in 60 seconds. Includes gross wages, Federal income tax, State income tax, Social Security (FICA), Medicare, 401(k), health insurance and YTD totals. Download a print-ready PDF — the same format as ADP, Gusto and Paychex.

Create Pay Stub Free See US Format
  • Federal, State, FICA & Medicare auto-laid-out
  • W-2 employee & 1099 contractor formats
  • Accepted by US lenders, landlords & auto-loan providers

What's on a standard US pay stub?

A US pay stub (or paycheck stub) is the itemised statement attached to or accompanying a paycheck. There's no federal law mandating a pay stub, but 41 states (under wage-payment statutes) require employers to provide one, and the FLSA requires accurate wage records. Here's what every standard W-2 employee pay stub contains.

Earnings (gross wages)

  • Regular pay — hours × hourly rate, or salary divided by pay periods.
  • Overtime — under FLSA, 1.5× regular rate for hours over 40/week (non-exempt employees).
  • Holiday pay, vacation, sick leave, PTO — itemised when used.
  • Bonus, commission, tips — taxed differently (supplemental wage rate of 22% federal, or aggregate method).
  • Reimbursements — non-taxable (mileage, expenses) shown separately from gross.

Federal & state taxes

  • Federal Income Tax — calculated using IRS withholding tables and the Form W-4 elections (filing status, dependents, additional withholding).
  • Social Security (FICA) — 6.2% of gross wages, capped at the wage base ($168,600 in 2025). Employer matches.
  • Medicare — 1.45% of all wages (no cap), plus an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages over $200,000 ($250,000 for MFJ).
  • State Income Tax — varies. Nine states (AK, FL, NV, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY) have no state income tax. California, NY, NJ, OR and HI have the highest top rates.
  • Local Tax — some cities (NYC, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City, San Francisco) charge city income tax.
  • SDI / SUI — California, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Hawaii deduct State Disability Insurance.

Voluntary deductions (pre-tax & post-tax)

  • 401(k) / 403(b) / 457(b) — pre-tax retirement contributions (or Roth, post-tax). 2025 employee limit: $23,500 (+ $7,500 catch-up if 50+).
  • Health Insurance — medical, dental, vision premiums (usually pre-tax under a Section 125 cafeteria plan).
  • HSA / FSA — Health Savings Account / Flexible Spending Account contributions (pre-tax).
  • Garnishments — child support, tax levies, student loans, court orders.
  • Roth 401(k), life insurance, ESPP — typically post-tax.

Mandatory employer information

  • Employer name, address, EIN (Employer Identification Number)
  • Employee name, address, last 4 of SSN, employee ID
  • Pay period start and end dates, pay date
  • Net pay and the year-to-date totals (gross, taxes, deductions, net)
  • Pay rate, hours worked, overtime hours
WHY THIS TOOL

Why use our USA pay stub generator?

Designed for US payroll — every Federal, State and FICA line laid out cleanly.

US-format pay stub

Federal, State, Social Security, Medicare, 401(k), health — pre-mapped and ordered the way ADP and Gusto display them.

FICA & Medicare auto-calc

6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare apply automatically. Wage base cap at $168,600 (2025) handled.

Mortgage & rental ready

Rocket Mortgage, Wells Fargo, Chase, Bank of America, and apartment screeners accept this exact stub layout.

W-2 & 1099 supported

Switch between W-2 employee mode (full FICA breakdown) and 1099 contractor mode (gross + SE tax notice).

401(k) & benefits

Pre-tax 401(k), Roth, HSA, FSA, health, dental, vision — itemised separately for compliance and clarity.

Privacy-first

SSN never required — only last 4. All data encrypted in transit. No marketing emails, no data selling.

When you'll need a US pay stub

1. Apartment rental applications

US landlords and screening services (RentSpree, TransUnion SmartMove, Apartments.com) require the last two to three pay stubs to verify monthly income meets the typical 3× rent threshold.

2. Mortgage and home loan applications

Rocket Mortgage, Wells Fargo, Chase, Bank of America, US Bank and Better.com all require the last 30 days of pay stubs plus W-2s for the past two years to underwrite a conforming or jumbo mortgage.

3. Auto loans and personal lines of credit

Auto-finance arms (Capital One Auto Navigator, Carvana, Ally, Toyota Financial) and personal-loan lenders (SoFi, LightStream, Marcus) ask for one or two recent pay stubs to verify monthly income.

4. Visa applications and immigration

USCIS Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support) and consular visa applications routinely require the last six months of pay stubs from the sponsor or applicant.

5. Tax filing reconciliation

While your W-2 is the official tax document, pay stubs help you cross-check YTD figures, verify 401(k) contributions, and confirm that Box 1 (taxable wages) matches the YTD on your final stub.

6. 1099 contractors and freelancers

1099 independent contractors don't receive W-2 pay stubs. But many lenders and landlords now accept a self-prepared earnings statement showing 1099 income, business expenses, and net self-employment income — alongside Schedule C from the prior year's return.

FAQS

USA pay stub — frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a payslip and a pay stub?
In the United States, payslips are usually called pay stubs or paychecks. They serve the same purpose — a record of gross wages, tax and benefit deductions, and net pay — but the layout and required line items differ from UK and Indian formats.
What deductions appear on a US pay stub?
Federal income tax (per W-4 elections), Social Security (6.2% of gross up to the wage base of $168,600 in 2025), Medicare (1.45% with an extra 0.9% above $200,000), state income tax (varies — Florida, Texas, Nevada and others have none), local tax where applicable, plus voluntary deductions like 401(k), health insurance, HSA and FSA.
Is this pay stub valid for landlords and lenders?
Yes. Most US landlords, mortgage lenders (Rocket Mortgage, Wells Fargo, Chase, Bank of America), auto-loan providers and apartment screeners ask for the last two to three pay stubs as proof of income. The format matches what ADP, Gusto, Paychex and QuickBooks Payroll produce.
Can a 1099 contractor or self-employed person use this?
1099 contractors don't receive W-2 pay stubs from clients, but you can use this generator to create a self-employed earnings statement showing monthly invoiced revenue, self-employment tax (SECA), and net business income — accepted by many lenders for income verification.
Does this calculate state income tax?
You can enter your state tax amount directly. Nine states have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. California, New York and Hawaii have the highest top marginal rates (10.3–13.3%).
Are pay stubs legally required in every US state?
No federal law mandates them, but 41 states have wage-payment laws requiring employers to provide pay stubs. Some states (like NY and CA) require specific items; AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, OH, SD, TN don't require them at all.
OTHER FORMATS

Need a different country's payslip?

🇮🇳 India Payslip Generator Basic · HRA · PF · ESI · TDS 🇬🇧 UK Payslip Generator PAYE · NI · Pension · Tax Code 📚 Payroll Blog & Guides FICA · Medicare · 401(k) · W-2
FREE · ADP-STYLE FORMAT · INSTANT

Generate your US pay stub in 60 seconds

Free forever · No credit card · Trusted by W-2 employees, 1099 contractors and small business owners.

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