Income & take-home pay guides
Why your paycheck is smaller than your salary — deductions, FICA, W-2 vs 1099, and pay cadence.
Income & take-home pay guides
Why doesn't my paycheck look bigger after a raise?
A raise should mean more money every payday, but the bump in your bank account is often smaller than the bump in your salary. Here's exactly where the difference goes.
Bi-weekly vs semi-monthly pay: how they change your budget
Same salary, different rhythm. Here's why 26 paychecks a year feels nothing like 24 — and how to budget for each without falling into the 'extra paycheck' trap.
W-2 vs 1099: what actually lands in your bank account
A $70,000 salary and a $70,000 1099 rate are not the same money. The surprise: after the 2026 tax math, the tax gap is small — it's the benefits that cost you.
Why is my paycheck so much smaller than my salary?
Your salary is a yearly number; your paycheck is what's left after taxes and benefits come out of each pay period. Here's a line-by-line walk from gross pay to net pay, so nothing on your stub is a mystery.
Pre-tax vs post-tax payroll deductions: what's the difference?
A $200 pre-tax deduction doesn't cost you $200 of take-home pay — but it doesn't disappear from the IRS's radar forever either. Here's how each bucket actually works.
Is your side hustle actually worth it? Find your true hourly rate
That $30/hour gig might really pay about $13 once you count gas, fees, taxes, and all the unpaid time around it. Here's how to find out for sure.
I just got laid off — what to do with my money first
A calm, ordered checklist for the first 48 hours, first two weeks, and first month after a layoff — what to sign, what to file, what to call, and what to leave alone.