Quick answer: Compare a paycheck calculator with the net pay on your pay stub first. Then compare that net pay with every payment destination listed on the stub. A smaller checking-account deposit may reflect money sent to savings, not an additional payroll deduction. A tax estimate and a bank deposit answer different questions.
This worksheet is for U.S. employees checking a regular paycheck. Use amounts for one pay period, not year-to-date totals. It does not calculate tax or decide whether an employer’s deductions are correct.
Reconcile in two passes
| Pass | Check | If the figures differ |
|---|---|---|
| Calculator estimate → pay stub | Same pay frequency, pay-period earnings, withholding assumptions and benefit deductions | Look for hours, unpaid time, variable pay or deductions that the estimate did not include. |
| Pay stub → payment destinations | Net pay versus all deposits and any other payroll payment shown | Check split-deposit instructions and payment status before treating the checking-account difference as missing pay. |
The CFPB pay-stub worksheet separates gross earnings, deductions and net pay. Online estimates depend on their inputs: ADP describes its salary calculator as an estimate. Use your actual stub to identify which assumption differs; do not change withholding merely to force two screens to match.
Example: a $200 gap that is not a new deduction
Suppose the following are the current-period lines on a fictional pay stub. They are illustrative payroll amounts, not a tax-rate calculation or a claim about which benefits receive tax treatment.
| Pay-stub or payment line | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,000 |
| Benefit deductions | −$120 |
| Taxes withheld | −$260 |
| Other payroll deductions | −$50 |
| Net pay | $1,570 |
| Net pay directed to savings | $200 |
| Net pay directed to checking | $1,370 |
The arithmetic is $2,000 − $120 − $260 − $50 = $1,570. The payment destinations also reconcile: $1,370 + $200 = $1,570. Looking only at checking creates an apparent $200 shortfall. Do not subtract the savings transfer from net pay again when totaling the money you received.
Now suppose a calculator estimated $1,620. The separate estimate-to-stub difference is $50. Check which actual earnings or deductions were missing from the estimate. The $200 deposit split does not explain that $50 difference, because the split happens after the example’s net pay has been determined.
Keep amount and availability separate
A correctly calculated deposit may still have an availability question. The CFPB explains payroll deposit availability and recommends checking your account’s policy. For a bill due soon, record the amount actually available and its date separately from a pending payment. If a payment is absent or the destinations do not reconcile, ask payroll for the payment breakdown and ask the receiving institution about its status.
Make a private five-line record
For each payday, save the pay-period dates, gross pay, total deductions, net pay and each payment destination with its status. Keep account numbers and pay-stub documents private. Mark a difference as unresolved until you have an explanation; do not enter a guessed deduction just to make the table balance.
For a bonus-specific mismatch, use the bonus withholding and pay-stub checklist. If you want to review federal withholding, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator with current information. Sources checked November 8, 2026.