Editorial Policy

Last updated: November 2026

WageYard publishes pay calculators and plain-language guides about hourly and salary pay. This page explains exactly how the numbers are built, what they are not, and how we keep them honest.

How the calculator math works

The core arithmetic is simple and exact: hourly rate × hours worked, annualized the standard ways (52 weeks, 2,080 hours, 26 biweekly periods, and so on). Overtime is 1.5× the base rate above 40 hours a week. Every figure in this category is arithmetic, not an estimate.

How the tax approximations are built

After-tax figures are estimates produced by one deliberately simple model, used identically in the calculator and on every page:

• FICA at 7.65% — the employee-side payroll tax (6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare) applied to all wages shown.
• Federal income tax at a flat 12% bracket on income above the $16,100 standard deduction. In other words, we subtract the standard deduction, then apply a single marginal rate to the rest.

We chose one transparent approximation over a fake-precise tax simulator. You can read the same numbers stated on any rate, salary, or monthly page and in the after-tax calculator.

Why our estimates differ from your real pay stub

A real pay stub reflects your personal situation, which a generic model cannot know. Expect differences from:

• State and local income taxes — our model assumes none, so states with income tax will withhold more than we show.
• Your tax bracket and filing status — real federal withholding uses progressive brackets, dependents, and IRS Form W-4 elections, not a flat 12%.
• Pre-tax deductions — 401(k) contributions, health/dental/vision premiums, HSA and FSA contributions all reduce taxable pay in ways we don't model.
• Benefits and other withholdings — union dues, garnishments, state payroll taxes (paid family leave, disability insurance), and higher FICA ceilings at high incomes.

Treat every after-tax figure on this site as a directional estimate — never as tax or financial advice.

Update cadence

We re-check deduction figures annually, when the IRS releases inflation-adjusted standard deduction and bracket updates, and we adjust the model (and the pages that cite it) if the numbers move enough to mislead. Arithmetic pages and guides are spot-checked whenever we touch them.

No paid placement

No page, calculator result, ranking, or guide recommendation on WageYard is for sale. We don't accept payment to feature, promote, or alter any figure or link. Advertising (when active) is sold separately from content and never influences the numbers — see our Privacy Policy for how ads work technically.

Corrections

If you spot a math error, a stale figure, or confusing wording, tell us at corrections@wageyard.com. We verify, fix the page, and thank you. General questions can also go to hello@wageyard.com. See also our Terms of Service.