Paycheck Notes

Short pieces on the moving parts of a real paycheck — withholding shifts, mid-year tax events, and what to look for on your pay stub. Written by Lionel, built around the same IRS Pub 15-T math that runs the app.

• Why your last paycheck of the year may be bigger than your first

  May 9, 2026

  When you hit the Social Security wage base, the 6.2% Social Security tax stops for the rest of the year. For variable-pay workers, the timing changes the size of your December paycheck.