What Is a Pay Stub and What Information Must It Include?

A pay stub is the piece of paper or PDF that explains a paycheck. It shows what someone earned before deductions, what was withheld, and what actually hit their bank account. Landlords, lenders, and visa offices often ask for recent stubs because they prove income faster than a bank statement alone. Employer stubs should include company name and address, employee name, pay period dates, and pay date. Earnings sections list regular hours, overtime, bonuses, or salary amounts. Deduction sections cover federal and state income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and voluntary items like health insurance or 401k contributions. Net pay is the bottom line everyone cares about. Independent contractors sometimes receive 1099s instead of stubs because they are not employees. If you hire contractors, do not fake employee stubs for them. Issue proper invoices and let their accountant handle quarterly taxes. If you are self-employed paying yourself from an LLC, talk to a CPA about documentation that satisfies lenders. Keep stubs for at least a year, longer if you are buying a home or auditing. PDF copies in a folder beat paper in a drawer. InvoDraft pay stub generator creates hourly and salaried stubs from your inputs. Use it for small teams without full payroll software, or for personal records when your employer portal is slow. This is a documentation tool, not a replacement for certified payroll systems at scale.