Looking at your paycheck and wondering what all those abbreviations mean? You're not alone. Every pay stub is packed with codes, acronyms, and shorthand that can be confusing — FIT, FICA, OASDI, MED, YTD, EE, ER, GTL, and dozens more. This guide decodes every common pay stub abbreviation with plain-English explanations so you can understand exactly where your money goes. What is a paycheckreally telling you? Let's break it down.
Understanding your paycheck abbreviations and payroll abbreviations isn't just about curiosity — it helps you catch payroll errors, plan your taxes, and verify that your employer is withholding the correct amounts. Whether you call them pay stub codes, check stub abbreviations, paystub codes, or just want to know the paystub meaning of each line item, this reference covers them all. Knowing what is a check stub and what is paycheck information helps you take control of your finances. The pay stubs meaning is simple: it's your complete earnings record.
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A pay stub (also written as paystub) is the document that accompanies your paycheck — whether you receive a physical check or direct deposit. The pay stub meaning is straightforward: it's an itemized record showing your earnings, every deduction, and your final take-home pay for a specific pay period. You might also hear it called a check stub, paycheck stub, payslip, or earnings statement.
So what is a pay stub actually showing you? Every pay stub breaks down into a few key sections: your gross pay (total earned before deductions), tax withholdings (federal, state, FICA), benefit deductions (insurance, retirement), and your net pay (what you actually take home). Most stubs also include year-to-date (YTD) totals so you can track cumulative numbers.
The challenge is that all this information is compressed into abbreviations and codes to fit on a single document. That's where this guide comes in — we'll decode every section. For a visual walkthrough, see our guide on how to read a pay stub.
Earnings Abbreviations
The earnings section shows how your gross pay (also called gross wages) was calculated. For hourly workers, this includes hours worked multiplied by your rate. For salaried employees, it's your annual salary divided by pay periods. Here are the codes you'll see:
Code
What It Means
REG / Regular
Regular hours or base pay at your standard hourly rate. For salaried employees, this is your standard pay per period.
OT / OTP / OT Pay
Overtime pay — typically 1.5× your regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 per week (federal FLSA rules). Some states have daily overtime thresholds.
DT / DBL
Double-time pay (2× regular rate). Used for holidays, extreme overtime, or per union/company policy. Not required by federal law but common in many industries.
HOL / Holiday
Holiday pay — compensation for working on a recognized holiday or holiday premium pay added to regular wages.
PTO
Paid Time Off — hours drawn from your PTO bank. Covers vacation, personal days, or combined leave policies. Some stubs show your remaining PTO balance.
VAC / Vacation
Vacation hours used or vacation pay received. May appear separately from PTO if your employer tracks vacation and sick time independently.
SICK
Sick leave hours used. Many states and cities now mandate paid sick leave. Your stub may show hours used and remaining balance.
BONUS / BON
Bonus payment — one-time, performance-based, sign-on, retention, or holiday bonus. Taxed as supplemental wages (often at a flat 22% federal rate).
COMM / Commission
Commission earnings based on sales or performance metrics. May be calculated as a percentage of sales, fixed per unit, or tiered. Commission pay stubs →
TIPS
Reported tip income. The IRS requires reporting of all tips; this line shows tips your employer is tracking for tax purposes.
SHIFT / DIFF
Shift differential — extra pay for working nights, weekends, or undesirable shifts. Typically a fixed amount per hour or a percentage premium.
RETRO
Retroactive pay — back pay owed from a previous period. Common after a raise is approved retroactively or a payroll error is corrected.
SEV / Severance
Severance pay received upon termination. Taxed as ordinary income. May appear as a lump sum or paid out over multiple periods.
Imputed / IMP
Imputed income — the taxable value of non-cash benefits. The most common is group-term life insurance (GTL) over $50,000. Adds to taxable income but doesn't affect your take-home pay since it was never cash. What is imputed income on my pay stub? It's a tax reporting item, not actual money paid to you.
FICA: What It Means on Your Paycheck
What is FICA on my paycheck? FICA is one of the most common — and most confusing — abbreviations on any pay stub. FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, and it represents the combined payroll tax that funds two major federal programs: Social Security and Medicare. If you've ever wondered what does FICA stand for or what is FICA used for, here's the complete breakdown.
Component
Rate
Wage Cap
What It Funds
Social Security (OASDI)
6.2%
$176,100 (2025)
Retirement, survivor, and disability benefits
Medicare (HI)
1.45%
No cap
Hospital insurance for seniors and disabled
Additional Medicare
0.9%
Wages over $200,000
Additional Medicare surtax (employee only)
Total FICA (Employee)
7.65%
—
Your employer pays a matching 7.65%
How to verify: Your FICA deduction should equal approximately 7.65% of your gross pay (before pre-tax deductions). If your stub shows FICA-SS and FICA-Med separately, Social Security should be 6.2% and Medicare should be 1.45%. If the numbers don't add up, check whether pre-tax deductions (like 401k) are reducing your taxable wages.
What does FICA tax pay for? Your FICA contributions fund two programs. The Social Security portion (6.2%) goes into the Social Security trust fund, which pays retirement benefits (starting at age 62), survivor benefits to families of deceased workers, and disability benefits (SSDI). The Medicare portion (1.45%) funds hospital insurance (Medicare Part A) for people 65+ and certain disabled individuals.
What is FICA Med on my paycheck? Some pay stubs split FICA into two lines: FICA-SS (the Social Security portion at 6.2%) and FICA-Med (the Medicare portion at 1.45%). This is the same total — just itemized for transparency.
FIT / Federal Income Tax Codes
What is FIT on my paycheck? FIT stands for Federal Income Tax — it's the amount your employer withholds from each paycheck and sends to the IRS on your behalf. What does FIT stand for? Federal Income Tax. FIT what does it stand foron your paycheck? Always Federal Income Tax withholding. You might also see it labeled as:
Code
Stands For
Notes
FIT
Federal Income Tax
Most common abbreviation
FWT
Federal Withholding Tax
Same as FIT — different label
FITW
Federal Income Tax Withheld
Emphasizes it's a withholding, not your total tax liability
Fed Tax / Fed W/H
Federal Tax / Federal Withholding
Spelled out instead of abbreviated
What does FITW mean on my paycheck? It means Federal Income Tax Withheld — the exact same thing as FIT, just with the "W" for "withheld" added. The amount is determined by your W-4 form — specifically your filing status, number of dependents, and any additional withholding you requested.
Unlike FICA (which has fixed rates), FIT varies significantly from person to person. Someone single with no dependents earning $80,000 will have a higher FIT percentage withheld than a married person with three children earning the same amount. What is FIT withheld on paycheck? It's your estimated federal tax payment — if too much is withheld, you get a refund at tax time; too little and you'll owe.
What is OASDI on my paycheck? OASDI stands for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance — it's the official name for Social Security. When you see OASDI as a deduction on your pay stub, that's your Social Security tax contribution at 6.2% of gross wages. What is OASDI tax on paycheck? It's the same thing — the Social Security portion of your FICA taxes.
Code on Your Stub
All Mean the Same Thing
OASDI
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance — the official government name
SS / Soc Sec
Social Security — the common name everyone knows
FICA-SS
The Social Security portion of FICA, specifically
Fed OASDI EE
Federal OASDI, Employee portion. What is Fed OASDI EE on my paycheck? It's your 6.2% Social Security tax — the "EE" means it's your (employee) share.
Fed OASDI ER
Employer's matching 6.2% — shown for information, doesn't reduce your pay
What does OASDI mean on paystub? The three parts of the name tell you what it funds:Old-Age (retirement benefits starting at 62), Survivors (benefits for families of deceased workers), and Disability Insurance (SSDI benefits for workers who can't work due to disability).
The current rate is 6.2% on wages up to $176,100 (2025). Once your YTD earnings hit this cap, OASDI withholding stops for the rest of the year. If you work multiple jobs, you might overpay — you can claim the excess back on your tax return. For a deep dive, see our complete OASDI guide.
Medicare Codes on Your Pay Stub
What is Medicare on my paystub? Medicare is the 1.45% payroll tax that funds hospital insurance (Medicare Part A) for Americans 65 and older and certain disabled individuals. Unlike Social Security, Medicare has no wage cap — every dollar you earn is subject to the 1.45% tax.
Code
Meaning
MED / Medicare
Medicare tax at 1.45%. What is Med tax on my paycheck? Your Medicare contribution.
HI
Hospital Insurance — the official name for Medicare payroll tax
FICA-Med
The Medicare portion of FICA, specifically
Fed Med EE
Federal Medicare, Employee portion. What is Fed Med EE on paystub? Your 1.45% Medicare share.
Add'l Med / Addl Medicare
Additional Medicare surtax of 0.9% on wages over $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Employee-only — no employer match.
What does Fed Med EE mean on my paycheck? It means Federal Medicare, Employee share. The "EE" distinguishes your portion (1.45%) from the employer's matching portion (ER, also 1.45%). For more detail on Medicare withholding, see our Medicare on pay stub guide.
State & Local Tax Abbreviations
Code
What It Means
SIT / SWT / State Tax
State Income Tax withheld. Rates vary by state. Nine states have no income tax: AK, FL, NV, NH (investment only), SD, TN (investment only), TX, WA, WY.
State W/H
State Withholding — same as SIT, just spelled differently.
SDI / CASDI
State Disability Insurance — mandatory employee contribution in CA, NJ, NY, HI, RI, and Puerto Rico.
SUI / SUTA
State Unemployment Insurance / State Unemployment Tax Act. Usually employer-paid, but some states (AK, NJ, PA) also require employee contributions.
FLI / FAMLI / PFL
Family Leave Insurance / Paid Family Leave — state-mandated in CA, CO, CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, MN, NJ, NY, OR, RI, WA, and DC.
Local / City Tax / Muni
Local or municipal income tax. Common in NYC, Philadelphia, many Ohio cities, parts of MD, IN, MI, and KY.
TDI
Temporary Disability Insurance — similar to SDI, used in some states.
Deduction & Benefit Abbreviations
What is tax deduction on a pay stub? A deduction is any amount subtracted from your gross pay. They come in two types: pre-tax deductions (reduce your taxable income, saving you money) and post-tax deductions (taken after taxes are calculated). Understanding what is voluntary deductions vs mandatory ones helps you optimize your paycheck.
Pre-Tax Deductions (Reduce Your Taxable Income)
Code
What It Means
401K / 401(k)
Pre-tax retirement plan contribution. 2026 limit: $23,500 ($31,000 if 50+). Reduces taxable income now; taxed when withdrawn in retirement.
403B / 403(b)
Retirement plan for public schools, nonprofits, and religious organizations. Same concept and limits as 401(k).
457 / 457(b)
Deferred compensation plan for government and some nonprofit employees. Can be contributed in addition to 401k/403b.
HSA
Health Savings Account — triple tax advantage (pre-tax in, tax-free growth, tax-free out for medical expenses). Requires a high-deductible health plan. 2026 limits: $4,300 individual, $8,550 family.
FSA / HFSA / DFSA
Flexible Spending Account — healthcare (HFSA) or dependent care (DFSA). Pre-tax but use-it-or-lose-it (with some rollover/grace period exceptions).
Health / Dental / Vision
Your share of insurance premiums. Usually pre-tax through a Section 125 cafeteria plan. Context matters — "MED" as a deduction means medical insurance, not Medicare.
Transit / Parking
Commuter benefits — pre-tax contributions for public transit passes or qualified parking expenses.
Post-Tax Deductions
Code
What It Means
Roth 401K / Roth
After-tax retirement contribution — no tax break now, but tax-free withdrawals in retirement. Same annual limit as traditional 401(k).
GTL / Group Term Life
Group Term Life insurance. Employer-paid coverage above $50,000 creates taxable imputed income. What is imputed income on my paycheck? For GTL, it's the IRS-calculated value of life insurance coverage exceeding $50,000. GTL abbreviation on your paycheck means you have employer-provided life insurance.
LTD / STD
Long-Term Disability / Short-Term Disability insurance premiums. If you pay with post-tax dollars, benefits are tax-free if you ever need to file a claim.
AD&D
Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance premium — supplemental coverage.
Union / Union Dues
Labor union membership dues — required for union members, deducted each pay period.
Charity / CFC / UW
Voluntary charitable contributions through payroll — Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), United Way (UW), or other charities.
401K Loan / Loan
Repayment of a loan taken from your 401(k) retirement account. You're paying yourself back with post-tax dollars.
What does a tax deduction do? Pre-tax deductions lower your taxable income — for example, a $500/month 401k contribution means $500 less in income subject to federal and state tax. Post-tax deductions don't reduce your tax bill but may have other advantages (like Roth's tax-free growth or post-tax disability premiums making benefits tax-free).
YTD: Year-to-Date Explained
What does YTD mean? YTD stands for Year-to-Date — it's a running cumulative total from January 1 through the current pay period. What is YTD on your pay stub? It shows you how much you've earned and how much has been deducted across the entire calendar year so far, not just the current paycheck.
What does YTD amount mean? For each line item on your pay stub — gross pay, federal tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, insurance, retirement — the YTD column shows the cumulative total. The YTD meaning in payslip is the same across all payroll systems: your running total for the calendar year.
Why YTD matters: At year end, your YTD totals should closely match your W-2. If there's a big discrepancy, it could indicate a payroll error. Throughout the year, YTD helps you estimate your tax liability and plan for financial goals. The YTD payslip meaningis essentially "how much total since January 1."
When you upload a pay stub with YTD information to CleanPaystubs, we extract and clearly display all year-to-date figures alongside your current-period amounts.
EE and ER: Employee vs Employer
What does EE stand for in payroll? EE means Employee (you). ER means Employer (your company). These labels appear next to deductions and contributions to show who pays what share.
Example on Stub
What It Means
Affects Your Pay?
Health Ins EE
Your share of health insurance premium
Yes — deducted from your pay
Health Ins ER
Employer's share of health insurance
No — informational only
Fed OASDI EE
Your Social Security tax (6.2%)
Yes — deducted
Fed OASDI ER
Employer's matching Social Security (6.2%)
No — employer pays this
Fed Med EE
Your Medicare tax (1.45%)
Yes — deducted
401K EE
Your 401k contribution
Yes — deducted (pre-tax)
401K ER Match
Employer's 401k matching contribution
No — goes directly to your 401k
Key rule: EE lines reduce your take-home pay. ER lines are for your information and represent money your employer spends on your behalf — they show the full cost of your compensation package but don't come out of your paycheck.
Garnishment & Wage Levy Codes
What is garnishment in payroll? A payroll garnishment (also called wage garnishment or paycheck garnishment) is a court-ordered deduction that your employer is legally required to withhold from your pay and send to a creditor or government agency. What is payroll garnishment specifically? It's the mechanism by which creditors collect debts directly from your paycheck before you receive it.
Code
Type of Garnishment
Federal Limit
CS / Child Supp
Child support payments
50-65% of disposable earnings
Alimony / Spousal
Spousal support / alimony payments
Included in 50-65% family support limit
Garn / Garnishment
General creditor garnishment (credit card, medical, etc.)
25% of disposable earnings
Tax Levy / IRS Levy
IRS or state tax debt collection
Based on filing status + dependents
SL Garn / Student Loan
Federal student loan default garnishment
15% of disposable earnings
Garnishment meaning in payroll: If you see a garnishment line on your pay stub, it means a court or government agency has ordered your employer to withhold money from your paycheck. Your employer has no choice — failing to comply can result in penalties against the company. If you believe a garnishment is incorrect, you'll need to work with the court or agency that issued it, not your employer.
Gross Pay vs Net Pay
What does gross wage mean? Your gross pay (also called gross wages or gross earnings) is your total compensation before any deductions. What is gross payroll? It's the total of all earnings lines — regular pay, overtime, bonuses, commissions, and any other compensation — before taxes and deductions are subtracted.
What is net wages? Your net pay (also called net wagesor take-home pay) is what's left after ALL deductions — federal tax, state tax, FICA, insurance, retirement contributions, and any other withholdings. Net payment is the amount deposited into your bank account or printed on your physical check.
The formula: Gross Pay − Federal Tax − State Tax − FICA (SS + Medicare) − Pre-Tax Deductions (401k, insurance, HSA) − Post-Tax Deductions (Roth, garnishments, etc.) = Net Pay
Beyond the specific tax and deduction codes, you'll encounter general payroll abbreviationson your pay stub. What does payroll mean? Payroll is the process by which employers calculate and distribute employee compensation — including the meaning of payroll taxes, benefits administration, and record-keeping. What is the payroll tax percentage? The combined employer and employee payroll tax (FICA) is 15.3% — split equally at 7.65% each.
Term / Code
Meaning
YTD
Year-to-Date — cumulative total from January 1 through current pay period
Gross
Total earnings before any deductions. What does gross wages mean? The full amount you earned.
Net / Net Pay
Take-home pay after all deductions — what hits your bank account
Taxable Wages / Tax Wages
The portion of earnings subject to a specific tax (may differ from gross due to pre-tax deductions)
Exempt
Earnings or benefits not subject to a specific tax — e.g., HSA contributions are exempt from FICA
Advice # / Check #
What is advice number on pay stub? A unique identifier for this specific payment. For direct deposit, it's the "advice number" (payment reference). For paper checks, it's the check number.
Pay Period
The date range this paycheck covers. Common frequencies: weekly, biweekly (every 2 weeks), semi-monthly (1st and 15th), or monthly.
Non-Employee Comp
What does non employee compensation mean? Payment to independent contractors, freelancers, or consultants — reported on Form 1099-NEC, not W-2. No taxes withheld; recipient pays self-employment tax.
Furlough
What does it mean to furlough an employee? A temporary, unpaid leave of absence. The employee remains employed but doesn't work or get paid during the furlough period. May appear on stubs showing $0 earnings during the furlough.
Withholding / W/H
What is a withholding? Any amount your employer holds back from your pay to send to a third party — most commonly taxes. The meaning of withholding tax is the estimated tax payment deducted from each paycheck.
ERC / Employee Retention Credit
What is an employee retention credit? A pandemic-era tax credit for employers who kept employees on payroll. May appear as a reference on some 2020-2021 stubs. The program has ended but amended claims are still being processed.
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A pay stub (also called a paystub, check stub, paycheck stub, or payslip) is a document that accompanies your paycheck and itemizes your earnings, deductions, and net pay for a specific pay period. It shows exactly how your gross pay was reduced by taxes and other deductions to arrive at your take-home amount. Pay stubs also typically include year-to-date (YTD) totals for all categories.
What is FICA on my paycheck?
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It's the combined Social Security and Medicare tax that's automatically withheld from your paycheck. The total FICA rate is 7.65% of your gross wages — broken down as 6.2% for Social Security (OASDI) and 1.45% for Medicare. Your employer pays a matching 7.65%, so the total contribution is 15.3%. FICA funds retirement benefits, disability insurance, and healthcare for seniors.
What does FICA stand for?
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, a 1935 law that established the payroll tax funding Social Security and Medicare. When you see FICA on your paycheck, it represents 7.65% of your gross wages — 6.2% goes to Social Security (also labeled OASDI or SS) and 1.45% goes to Medicare (also labeled MED or HI). Some pay stubs show these as separate line items (FICA-SS and FICA-Med) rather than one combined FICA amount.
What does FIT mean on my pay stub?
FIT stands for Federal Income Tax. It may also appear as FWT (Federal Withholding Tax), Fed Tax, or Fed W/H on your paycheck. This is the amount your employer withholds for federal income taxes based on your W-4 form selections — your filing status, number of dependents, and any additional withholding you requested. The amount varies based on your income level and W-4 elections, unlike FICA which has fixed percentages.
What does YTD mean on a pay stub?
YTD stands for Year-to-Date. It represents the cumulative total from January 1 through the current pay period. You'll see YTD columns for gross earnings, each tax category, each deduction, and sometimes net pay. YTD totals are essential for tax planning — your YTD federal tax withheld tells you whether you're on track for a refund or might owe at tax time. At year end, your YTD totals should closely match your W-2.
What is OASDI on my paycheck?
OASDI stands for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance — it's the official name for Social Security. The tax rate is 6.2% of your gross wages up to the annual wage base ($176,100 in 2025). Once your YTD earnings reach this cap, OASDI withholding stops for the rest of the year. On your pay stub, it may appear as OASDI, SS, Soc Sec, or Social Security. Your employer pays a matching 6.2%. Learn more in our OASDI guide.
What is the difference between EE and ER on a pay stub?
EE means Employee (you) and ER means Employer (your company). When you see deductions labeled with EE or ER, it tells you who pays that portion. For example, 'Health Insurance EE' is your share of the premium deducted from your pay, while 'Health Insurance ER' is your employer's share (shown for information but doesn't reduce your paycheck). FICA taxes always show both: you pay 7.65% (EE) and your employer pays 7.65% (ER).
What does gross pay mean vs net pay?
Gross pay (also called gross wages or gross earnings) is your total compensation before any deductions — the full amount you earned. Net pay (also called net wages or take-home pay) is what's left after all deductions are subtracted — federal tax, state tax, FICA, insurance premiums, retirement contributions, and any other withholdings. Net pay is the amount deposited into your bank account or printed on your physical paycheck.
What is tax deduction on a pay stub?
A tax deduction on your pay stub is any amount subtracted from your gross pay before or after taxes. Pre-tax deductions (like 401k contributions, HSA, health insurance premiums) reduce your taxable income, so you pay less in taxes. Post-tax deductions (like Roth 401k, some insurance, garnishments) come out after taxes are calculated. Your pay stub shows each deduction as a separate line item with both the current-period amount and YTD total.
What is a withholding on my paycheck?
A withholding is any amount your employer holds back from your paycheck and sends to a third party on your behalf — most commonly to the IRS (federal income tax), your state (state income tax), and Social Security/Medicare (FICA). Withholdings are not optional for taxes — they're required by law. Your W-4 form determines how much federal tax is withheld. The withholding tax rate depends on your income, filing status, and allowances claimed.
What does garnishment mean on a paycheck?
A garnishment (also called wage garnishment or payroll garnishment) is a court-ordered deduction from your paycheck. Your employer is legally required to withhold the specified amount and send it to the creditor. Common types include child support (CS), alimony, unpaid taxes (tax levy), student loan default, and other court judgments. Garnishment amounts and limits are governed by federal and state law — typically capped at 25% of disposable earnings for most debts, and up to 50-65% for child support.
What does non-employee compensation mean?
Non-employee compensation refers to payment for services by someone who is not an employee — typically independent contractors, freelancers, or consultants. If you receive $600 or more in non-employee compensation during a tax year, the payer must report it on Form 1099-NEC. Unlike W-2 employees, non-employee compensation has no taxes withheld at the source — the recipient is responsible for paying self-employment tax (15.3% FICA) and income tax.
What is imputed income on my pay stub?
Imputed income is a non-cash benefit provided by your employer that the IRS considers taxable. The most common example is group-term life insurance (GTL) coverage above $50,000 — the cost of coverage over $50,000 is added to your taxable income even though you never received cash. Other examples include personal use of a company vehicle, gym memberships, or domestic partner benefits. Imputed income appears on your pay stub to ensure proper tax withholding, but it doesn't reduce your take-home pay since it was never cash to begin with.
How do I decode unfamiliar abbreviations on my pay stub?
Start with this guide — we cover 70+ of the most common codes. If you find an abbreviation not listed here, check with your HR or payroll department, as some companies use proprietary codes. You can also upload your pay stub to CleanPaystubs, where our system identifies and labels common abbreviations automatically. For a hands-on walkthrough of every section, see our guide on how to read a pay stub.