Understanding your US pay stub: earnings, taxes, and deductions

Last updated: August 10, 2026

Applies to: Workers paid in the United States. Canadian employees' pay documents look different.

Summary: Your pay stub breaks down what you earned, what was withheld for taxes, and any other deductions — this guide explains each section so you can read it with confidence and spot anything that looks off.

Every time you get paid, a pay stub (also called a paystub or earnings statement) is available in your portal. It shows how your gross pay (everything you earned) becomes your net pay (the amount that actually lands in your bank account or on your pay card). Learning to read it helps you confirm you were paid correctly and understand where your money goes.

To find your pay stubs, log in at app.ascen.com, go to Paychecks, and open the Paystub for the pay period you want.

The three main parts of a pay stub

Most stubs are organized into three groups:
1. Earnings — the money you earned this period.
2. Taxes — amounts withheld and sent to federal, state, and local tax agencies on your behalf.
3. Deductions — other amounts taken out, such as benefits or a court-ordered withholding.

Your stub also shows year-to-date (YTD) totals next to each line, which add up everything from the start of the calendar year.

Earnings

This section lists what you were paid for and at what rate. Depending on your assignment, you may see:
- Regular — your standard hours at your regular hourly rate.
- Overtime — hours over the applicable threshold, usually paid at 1.5x your rate. (See How overtime and double-time pay work.)
- Double time — in some states, hours paid at 2x your rate.
- Holiday or premium pay — extra pay some assignments or states provide for certain days. (See Holiday and premium pay.)
- Per diem or stipends — if your assignment includes a per diem, it is generally listed separately as a reimbursement rather than as taxable wages. Because it is a reimbursement, it typically does not appear in your taxable wages or on your W-2. (See Are stipends included on the W-2?)
- Reimbursements — approved expenses paid back to you, which are not taxed.

Gross pay is the total of your taxable earnings before anything is taken out.

Taxes withheld

As a W-2 employee, taxes are withheld from each paycheck and sent to the government for you. Common lines include:
- Federal income tax (FIT) — based on the Form W-4 you filled out.
- Social Security and Medicare (FICA) — required federal payroll taxes. Learn more from the IRS on payroll taxes.
- State income tax (SIT) — withheld based on the state where you work. Not every state has an income tax, so you may not see this line.
- Local taxes — some cities or counties have their own income tax.

The amount withheld for income tax depends on the information on your W-4. If too much or too little is being withheld, you can update your W-4 (see How do I fill out my US tax forms (W-4)?) or use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to check.

Note: If you are a 1099 independent contractor rather than a W-2 employee, taxes are generally not withheld from your pay, and you are responsible for your own taxes. Your statement will look different. See Am I a W-2 employee or an Independent Contractor if you are unsure which applies to you.

Other deductions

Beyond taxes, you may see deductions such as:
- Benefit premiums — your share of medical, dental, or other insurance you enrolled in.
- Wage garnishments or child-support withholding — a court or agency can order an amount to be withheld from your pay. (See Wage garnishments and child-support withholding: what to expect.)
- Repayment of an overpayment — if you were accidentally overpaid in a past period, an agreed-upon amount may be withheld to correct it.

Net pay

Net pay is what is left after taxes and deductions are subtracted from your gross pay. This is the amount deposited to your bank account or loaded onto your pay card.

A simple way to think about it:

Gross pay − taxes − other deductions = net pay

How to check your stub

Each pay period, it is worth a quick look:
- Do the hours and rate in the Earnings section match what you worked?
- Are your overtime or premium hours where you expect them?
- Do the deductions match what you signed up for (benefits) or were notified about (a garnishment)?

If something looks wrong — missing hours, an unexpected deduction, or a rate that seems off — Ascen handles pay corrections (support@ascen.com). See My paycheck is short or missing hours — what to do for the steps to report it.