My Paycheck
Understanding My Paycheck/Direct Deposit Notice
To understand your university paycheck, review your pay stub for sections detailing your gross pay (total earnings before deductions), tax withholdings (federal, state, and local), and net pay (take-home amount after deductions).
It’s important to note that not every employee will have the same earnings, taxes, and deductions withheld from their pay. Please use the information below as a guide to help you understand the items reflected on your paycheck or direct deposit notice.
Common Sections
- Pay Date: The date you receive your pay.
- Type: Displays earnings categorized as Current, which represents the pay for the current pay period, and YTD (Year-to-Date), which shows the total earnings for the year up to and including the current pay period.
- Gross: Displays total gross earnings for the current pay period and earned year-to-date.
- Total Personal Deductions: Total employee deductions, to include Deductions before Federal Tax, Taxes, and Deductions after Federal Tax.
- Net Pay: Reflects your “take home” pay for the pay period and the amount to be distributed for direct pay.
- Employer Contributions: The amount of benefits or matched FICA and Medicare taxes the University is paying on your behalf refers to the contributions the University makes in addition to your gross earnings. This includes:
- FICA (Social Security and Medicare taxes): The University matches the amount of FICA taxes you pay, contributing an equal share for Social Security and Medicare.
- Other Benefits: This can also include employer contributions to your retirement plan, health insurance, or other employee benefits.
- BID: Your unique University identification number.
- SSN/SIN/TIN: Last four digits of your social security number.
- Name and Address: Verify that your name matches your legal information. The address reflected on your paystub is the one that appeared in the system at the time payroll was processed. If any details are incorrect, please update your information promptly to ensure accuracy in future payroll processing.
- Pay Period Dates: The dates covered by the distributed paycheck.
- Earnings: States your position title, type of earnings (e.g., regular, overtime, vacation, holiday, etc.) and, when applicable, the hourly rate and number of associated hours. The paycheck also includes current amount and year-to-date (YTD) earnings for each earnings type.
- Non-cash Earnings: Applicable if eligible for accrued compensatory earnings. Even if you did not earn compensatory earnings in the current pay period, your YTD total will be reflected.
- Deductions before Federal Tax: Current and YTD retirement, health insurance premiums and other benefit premiums taken from your gross pay before taxes are withheld. Federal Taxable Wages = Total Gross Wages – Before Tax Deductions. Pay notice includes University contributions to applicable benefits and retirement plans.
- Taxes: Federal, State and Social Security and Medicare (FICA) tax amounts for the Current pay period and YTD
- After Tax Deductions: These amounts are deducted from your net pay after taxes have already been withheld. The deductions can include:
- Benefits: Contributions to things like supplemental retirement plans or life insurance that are deducted after tax.
- Other General Deductions: This may include applicable loan repayments, or charitable contributions, and any other voluntary deductions.
- Garnishments: Court-ordered deductions such as child support or wage garnishments that are taken after taxes.
Questions? Contact a Payroll Specialist.
Karletta Woodard
Payroll Specialist (LastN Alpha A-L)
Kbwoodard1@ncat.edu
336.285.3429
(vacant position)
Payroll Specialist (LastN Alpha M-Z)
payroll@ncat.edu
336.285.3021
