What does year-to-date (YTD) mean on a pay stub?

YTD is the running total of every pay stub line from January 1 to the date on the current stub. YTD gross is what you have earned this year, YTD federal withholding is what has been sent to the IRS, YTD 401(k) is what you have contributed so far. Most US pay stubs show both the current period and YTD column. PayslipIQ uses the YTD column to project what the rest of the year will look like.

Why does Social Security stop appearing on my pay stub mid-year?

Social Security only applies to wages up to the SSA Contribution and Benefit Base, $184,500 for 2026. Once your YTD wages cross that figure, Social Security withholding stops for the rest of the year. Medicare keeps going (1.45%, no cap). High earners often see a small bump in take-home pay in Q4 once SS turns off.

When does Additional Medicare Tax start?

Employers must withhold an extra 0.9% Medicare on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year, regardless of filing status. The IRS may then refund or rebill at filing depending on your actual filing status and household income (the threshold is $250k for MFJ). The PayslipIQ checker flags both the employer-trigger and the personal threshold so you can plan.

How much can I put in a 401(k) in 2026?

The IRS elective deferral limit for 2026 is $24,500. If you are 50 or older, you can add a $8,500 catch-up, for $33,000 total. Some plans allow a separate "Mega Backdoor Roth" via after-tax contributions up to a higher overall limit, ask your plan administrator. The PayslipIQ checker flags if your current rate is on track to hit the limit before December and suggests a per-paycheck rate to land exactly on the cap.

What is the HSA limit for 2026?

For 2026: $4,400 self-only HDHP coverage, $8,750 family HDHP coverage. People 55 or older can add a $1,000 catch-up. Excess contributions trigger a 6% excise tax until withdrawn. Verify the current limit with IRS Publication 969 because IRS adjusts these annually.

What is W-2 Box 1 and how does it relate to YTD?

Box 1 is "Wages, tips, other compensation" subject to federal income tax. It typically equals YTD gross minus traditional 401(k), minus traditional pre-tax HSA, minus pre-tax health insurance premiums (Section 125), minus a few other items. Box 1 is usually less than YTD gross by the sum of those pre-tax deductions. Your full YTD gross still appears in Box 3 (SS wages, capped at $184,500) and Box 5 (Medicare wages, no cap).

Why does my projection differ from what I expect for the year?

The projection assumes your current per-period gross continues through year-end. Bonuses, commissions, raises, leave without pay, schedule changes, and shift differentials all break that assumption. Use the projection as a directional check, not a guarantee. If you have a known bonus coming, use the dedicated Bonus Paycheck Calculator on top.

What should I do if I am close to a threshold I do not want to cross?

For Social Security and Medicare you cannot opt out, the limits are fixed by SSA / IRS. For 401(k) and HSA, talk to your benefits administrator about a contribution-rate change before payroll cutoff. For income-tax brackets, you can adjust your W-4 to change withholding (not the actual tax owed). For thresholds tied to income (Roth IRA phase-out, ACA premium tax credit, IRMAA, etc.) consult a CPA or EA, this calculator does not model them.

Frequently asked questions

What does year-to-date (YTD) mean on a pay stub?: YTD is the running total of every pay stub line from January 1 to the date on the current stub. YTD gross is what you have earned this year, YTD federal withholding is what has been sent to the IRS, YTD 401(k) is what you have contributed so far. Most US pay stubs show both the current period and YTD column. PayslipIQ uses the YTD column to project what the rest of the year will look like.
Why does Social Security stop appearing on my pay stub mid-year?: Social Security only applies to wages up to the SSA Contribution and Benefit Base, $184,500 for 2026. Once your YTD wages cross that figure, Social Security withholding stops for the rest of the year. Medicare keeps going (1.45%, no cap). High earners often see a small bump in take-home pay in Q4 once SS turns off.
When does Additional Medicare Tax start?: Employers must withhold an extra 0.9% Medicare on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year, regardless of filing status. The IRS may then refund or rebill at filing depending on your actual filing status and household income (the threshold is $250k for MFJ). The PayslipIQ checker flags both the employer-trigger and the personal threshold so you can plan.
How much can I put in a 401(k) in 2026?: The IRS elective deferral limit for 2026 is $24,500. If you are 50 or older, you can add a $8,500 catch-up, for $33,000 total. Some plans allow a separate "Mega Backdoor Roth" via after-tax contributions up to a higher overall limit, ask your plan administrator. The PayslipIQ checker flags if your current rate is on track to hit the limit before December and suggests a per-paycheck rate to land exactly on the cap.
What is the HSA limit for 2026?: For 2026: $4,400 self-only HDHP coverage, $8,750 family HDHP coverage. People 55 or older can add a $1,000 catch-up. Excess contributions trigger a 6% excise tax until withdrawn. Verify the current limit with IRS Publication 969 because IRS adjusts these annually.
What is W-2 Box 1 and how does it relate to YTD?: Box 1 is "Wages, tips, other compensation" subject to federal income tax. It typically equals YTD gross minus traditional 401(k), minus traditional pre-tax HSA, minus pre-tax health insurance premiums (Section 125), minus a few other items. Box 1 is usually less than YTD gross by the sum of those pre-tax deductions. Your full YTD gross still appears in Box 3 (SS wages, capped at $184,500) and Box 5 (Medicare wages, no cap).
Why does my projection differ from what I expect for the year?: The projection assumes your current per-period gross continues through year-end. Bonuses, commissions, raises, leave without pay, schedule changes, and shift differentials all break that assumption. Use the projection as a directional check, not a guarantee. If you have a known bonus coming, use the dedicated Bonus Paycheck Calculator on top.
What should I do if I am close to a threshold I do not want to cross?: For Social Security and Medicare you cannot opt out, the limits are fixed by SSA / IRS. For 401(k) and HSA, talk to your benefits administrator about a contribution-rate change before payroll cutoff. For income-tax brackets, you can adjust your W-4 to change withholding (not the actual tax owed). For thresholds tied to income (Roth IRA phase-out, ACA premium tax credit, IRMAA, etc.) consult a CPA or EA, this calculator does not model them.

Year-end planning

Year-to-date paycheck checker.

Type your YTD numbers from your most recent pay stub, get a year-end projection of gross, take-home, W-2 box 1, and threshold flags for Social Security, Additional Medicare, 401(k), and HSA.

Reviewed by PayslipIQ Editorial Team, in-house payroll editor

Last reviewed May 2026 · Editorial standards

In plain English

The YTD column on your pay stub is the running total since January 1. The PayslipIQ Year-to-Date Paycheck Checker (USA, 2026) takes those running totals plus the number of paychecks you have left, projects year-end gross and take-home, predicts your W-2 box 1, and flags whether you are about to hit the Social Security wage base ($184,500 for 2026), the Additional Medicare 0.9% threshold ($200,000 employer-trigger), the 401(k) elective deferral limit ($24,500 + $8,500 catch-up at age 50), or the HSA limit ($4,400 self / $8,750 family). Educational only, not advice.

Year-end projection

Projected annual gross

$94,545

Projected take-home

$59,185

Effective tax rate

27.4%

Projected federal income tax	$13,000
Projected Social Security	$5,862
Projected Medicare	$1,371
Projected state tax	$5,673
Projected 401(k) traditional	$7,091
Projected HSA	$2,364
Expected W-2 Box 1	$85,091

Flags + threshold tracking

You will not hit the Social Security wage base ($184,500 in 2026).

You will not trigger the Additional 0.9% Medicare tax.

You are within the 401(k) elective deferral limit ($24,500).

You are within the HSA limit ($4,400).

Tax year 2026. Projections assume the same gross per period continues through year-end. Real paychecks vary because of bonuses, commissions, schedule changes, leave, raises, and benefit elections. Limits sourced from IRS 2026 published values for 401(k) elective deferral and HSA contribution limits, SSA 2026 wage base, and IRS Pub 15-T 2026 Additional Medicare Tax Q&A. Verify the current published limits with IRS / SSA.

When to use this tool

Late September / early October check-in: still time to adjust 401(k) or HSA before year-end.
You took a mid-year raise or new job and want to see how the rest of the year compounds.
You expect to cross $200,000 single ($250k MFJ) and want to see Additional Medicare exposure.
You are in the SS wage base zone ($150-200k) and want to know which paycheck stops withholding SS.
You are checking that W-2 box 1 will match what your tax software is projecting.

Worked example, October check-in

You are biweekly, October 11. Your stub shows YTD gross $115,000, YTD 401(k) $14,000, YTD HSA $2,750, you are 35 years old with self-only HSA coverage. Periods completed: 21. Periods remaining: 5.

Per-period gross: $5,476. Projected annual gross: $142,381. Projected 401(k): $17,333. Flag: 401(k) projects below the $24,500 limit so you have room. Flag: HSA projects $3,405, below the $4,400 limit so you have room. Flag: Annual gross projects below $184,500 so SS will not cap. Flag: Below $200k so no Additional Medicare. Action: if you wanted to maximise 401(k) you could increase your remaining 5 paychecks to put in $2,100 each, getting close to the cap by December.

Common questions

What does year-to-date (YTD) mean on a pay stub?: YTD is the running total of every pay stub line from January 1 to the date on the current stub. YTD gross is what you have earned this year, YTD federal withholding is what has been sent to the IRS, YTD 401(k) is what you have contributed so far. Most US pay stubs show both the current period and YTD column. PayslipIQ uses the YTD column to project what the rest of the year will look like.
Why does Social Security stop appearing on my pay stub mid-year?: Social Security only applies to wages up to the SSA Contribution and Benefit Base, $184,500 for 2026. Once your YTD wages cross that figure, Social Security withholding stops for the rest of the year. Medicare keeps going (1.45%, no cap). High earners often see a small bump in take-home pay in Q4 once SS turns off.
When does Additional Medicare Tax start?: Employers must withhold an extra 0.9% Medicare on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year, regardless of filing status. The IRS may then refund or rebill at filing depending on your actual filing status and household income (the threshold is $250k for MFJ). The PayslipIQ checker flags both the employer-trigger and the personal threshold so you can plan.
How much can I put in a 401(k) in 2026?: The IRS elective deferral limit for 2026 is $24,500. If you are 50 or older, you can add a $8,500 catch-up, for $33,000 total. Some plans allow a separate "Mega Backdoor Roth" via after-tax contributions up to a higher overall limit, ask your plan administrator. The PayslipIQ checker flags if your current rate is on track to hit the limit before December and suggests a per-paycheck rate to land exactly on the cap.
What is the HSA limit for 2026?: For 2026: $4,400 self-only HDHP coverage, $8,750 family HDHP coverage. People 55 or older can add a $1,000 catch-up. Excess contributions trigger a 6% excise tax until withdrawn. Verify the current limit with IRS Publication 969 because IRS adjusts these annually.
What is W-2 Box 1 and how does it relate to YTD?: Box 1 is "Wages, tips, other compensation" subject to federal income tax. It typically equals YTD gross minus traditional 401(k), minus traditional pre-tax HSA, minus pre-tax health insurance premiums (Section 125), minus a few other items. Box 1 is usually less than YTD gross by the sum of those pre-tax deductions. Your full YTD gross still appears in Box 3 (SS wages, capped at $184,500) and Box 5 (Medicare wages, no cap).
Why does my projection differ from what I expect for the year?: The projection assumes your current per-period gross continues through year-end. Bonuses, commissions, raises, leave without pay, schedule changes, and shift differentials all break that assumption. Use the projection as a directional check, not a guarantee. If you have a known bonus coming, use the dedicated Bonus Paycheck Calculator on top.
What should I do if I am close to a threshold I do not want to cross?: For Social Security and Medicare you cannot opt out, the limits are fixed by SSA / IRS. For 401(k) and HSA, talk to your benefits administrator about a contribution-rate change before payroll cutoff. For income-tax brackets, you can adjust your W-4 to change withholding (not the actual tax owed). For thresholds tied to income (Roth IRA phase-out, ACA premium tax credit, IRMAA, etc.) consult a CPA or EA, this calculator does not model them.

Official sources

If a flag fires, talk to payroll, not just to PayslipIQ

Threshold flags here are projections. Contribution-rate changes, bonus timing, and benefit elections all need to go through payroll. Use theAsk Payroll Generatorto draft a message in 30 seconds.

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.