A quick guide to paystub abbreviations in the US

For many employees (and, in many cases, employers too), paystubs can feel like a maze of confusing codes and numbers. You know there’s vital information on the page, like earnings, taxes, and deductions, but it’s not always easy to decipher what each item actually means.

So, if you’ve ever looked at a paystub and wondered what abbreviations like “FICA,” “YTD,” or “GTL” stand for, this article is for you. We’ll help you understand what your payroll abbreviation codes actually mean, so you can feel confident in what you’re paying — or being paid.

Common categories of payroll abbreviations

On US paystubs, there are typically three main categories of codes:

1. Earnings abbreviations
2. Deductions and taxes
3. Summary and time tracking abbreviations

See also: What is a pay stub, and how do you make one?

Here’s what each of these cover:

1. Earnings abbreviations

These abbreviation codes tell you what kind of compensation is being paid. They usually appear alongside the number of hours worked or a flat dollar amount, and translate as the following:

Note: These abbreviations may vary slightly depending on your payroll provider, but the overall meanings are usually consistent.

See also: What is the difference between PTO and holiday pay?

2. Deduction abbreviations

These are the abbreviations that explain why your gross pay is lower than your net pay. They cover taxes, benefits, and other withholdings.

Mandatory taxes

See also: What are SUTA and FUTA taxes and how do they work?

Voluntary deductions

3. Summary and time tracking abbreviations

These abbreviations summarize activity across the pay period (or year to date):

Note that many payroll providers also use proprietary or company-specific abbreviations. If you see an unfamiliar code, check with:

• Your payroll software’s documentation (most offer a glossary)
• Your HR or payroll team
• Your payroll provider or accountant
  
  

Simplifying payroll for your employees

Transparency builds trust, so it may be a good idea to provide a one-page paystub “cheat sheet” in your employee handbook.

It’s also good practice to:

• Use plain language whenever possible. Avoid overly cryptic codes or explain them in an accompanying legend.
• Include year-to-date totals. This helps your employees keep track of their taxes and deductions across the year.
• Encourage questions. Make it easy for employees to come to you with paystub concerns.
• Partner with a reliable payroll provider. A good payroll system will offer clarity, accuracy, and compliance out of the box.
• Stay compliant. Federal and state laws require certain details to appear on paystubs, so make sure your templates are up to date.

Need guidance? Use our free, easy-to-follow pay stub template here.

How else can Remote help?

Decoding payroll abbreviations is a big step toward making payroll clearer and more manageable, for both you and your people. But to truly simplify payroll, you need more than just knowledge. You need the right partner, which is where Remote Payroll comes in.

Remote makes it easy to run accurate, compliant payroll for employees, no matter where they are in the world. Specifically, we:

• Generate and provide clear, transparent paystubs for every employee, with easy-to-understand earnings and deductions
• Automate payroll processing, which significantly reduces errors and saves time.
• Provide built-in compliance with local tax laws, benefits, and employment regulations.
• Centralize your entire payroll on one platform, enabling you to manage payroll, HR, and benefits in one place.

With Remote, payroll doesn’t just get done. It gets done right, with clarity and confidence for everyone involved.

To learn more, speak to one of our friendly payroll experts today.