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PayslipIQUSA
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Reviewed by PayslipIQ Editorial Team, in-house payroll editor
Last reviewed May 2026 · Editorial standards

How PayslipIQ Works

Three steps. No account required for the basics. PayslipIQ helps you read your paycheck, frame the question for payroll if something is off, and verify with the source. Nothing more.

PayslipIQ provides educational information and estimated calculations only. It does not provide tax, legal, financial, accounting, employment, benefits, or payroll advice. PayslipIQ is not a CPA firm, law firm, financial advisor, payroll provider, or tax authority. Always verify your paycheck, deductions, withholdings, and tax position with your employer's payroll department, a qualified CPA, the IRS, your state tax authority, or another appropriately qualified professional. Calculations are estimates; your actual paycheck may differ based on factors specific to your employer, location, benefits elections, and personal tax situation.

Step 1, pick what you want to understand

PayslipIQ has two starting points:

  • You have a pay stub in hand. Use the Pay Stub Explainer. Upload PDF or image, or paste the numbers.
  • You don't have one yet. Use the Paycheck Calculator to estimate take-home from gross pay, state, and filing status.

Or, jump straight to a topic page if you have a specific question: FICAWhy is my paycheck lowerOvertimeW-4401(k).

Step 2, we process and explain

For uploaded pay stubs, we identify each line (gross, federal withholding, FICA, state tax, local tax, pre-tax deductions, post-tax deductions, employer contributions, and net pay) and return a plain-English summary of what each one means.

For calculators, we compute estimates using current IRS and state tax tables, FLSA rules for overtime, and federal/state guidance for FICA and other items.

Everything ships with three reminders: estimate-only, AI may have limits, verify with the source.

Step 3, you take it from there

PayslipIQ does not talk to your employer. We do not fix payroll. We do not represent you in any dispute. What we do is help you understand the numbers, so you can:

  • Confirm a paycheck looks right.
  • Spot a line item that does not make sense.
  • Frame a question to your HR or payroll team (we can draft the message via the Ask Payroll generator).
  • Confirm with a CPA or the IRS when something is complex.
  • Make better-informed W-4 or 401(k) decisions.

We are a translator, not a representative.

What you will never get from PayslipIQ

  • Tax advice.
  • Legal advice.
  • A guarantee that any number is exact.
  • An accusation against your employer.
  • A demand or dispute filed on your behalf.
  • A login wall on the basic explainer.

What's free, what's premium

Free: Pay Stub Explainer, all calculators (paycheck, hourly, salary, overtime, FICA), all explainer guides, Ask Payroll message generator.

Premium (separate offering): Saved pay stub reports, monthly paycheck monitoring, deduction-change alerts, withholding-change alerts, state-tax change notifications.

What if PayslipIQ gets something wrong

Email feedback@payslipiq.com or use the "Report this explanation" link beside any AI output. We log corrections, fix the underlying prompt or rule, and update the page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an account to use PayslipIQ?
No. The free explainer and all calculators work without an account. Premium features (saved reports, monitoring) require email magic-link authentication.
Does PayslipIQ contact my employer?
No. We help you understand and frame questions. You contact your employer.
What if I disagree with PayslipIQ's explanation?
Use the 'Report this explanation' link or email feedback@payslipiq.com. Verify with your payroll team or a CPA. PayslipIQ is educational only, not authoritative.

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