can someone explain my paycheck to me...

[gwlam12]

in a two week period, i earned 237.15 and got taxed 1.78.

in another two week period, same job, i earned 558.45 but got taxed over 80 dollars.

what caused the difference?

 

[minendo]

Student employee?

 

[Encryptic]

You earned more the second paycheck, so the government took more out. The amount of taxes they take out goes up and down depending on your level of income.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Assuming the $1.78 in taxes was taken out of a recent paycheck and the $80 was taken out of an earlier one, it just means that your employer has started withholding based on the revised tax brackets resulting from the Bush tax cut.

 

[Dacalo]

tax isn't fixed for all incomes

 

[T3C]

the more you make, the more they take...

it sucks i know

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Yeah, the more you make the higher percentage of your income they take...

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: minendo
Student employee?

yup

 

[CaseTragedy]

plus if you're a student worker, working over 40hrs biweekly throws you into the retirement fund. (i think.)

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
Yeah, the more you make the higher percentage of your income they take...

that's a big percentage.

and that stinks cuz the bigger paycheck was a combination of 5 weeks of work, because my supervisor was never around when i needed him to sign my timesheet. hence, they got combined into one bigger check where i lose a lot more money.

 

[CaseTragedy]

what school are you working at?

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
Yeah, the more you make the higher percentage of your income they take...

that's a big percentage.

and that stinks cuz the bigger paycheck was a combination of 5 weeks of work, because my supervisor was never around when i needed him to sign my timesheet. hence, they got combined into one bigger check where i lose a lot more money.

One big check is like a bonus check so its taxed that way. More taxes on bonuses.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: minendo
Student employee?

yup

I am not quite sure how it works, but certain levels of income by student employees are "federal exempt" or at least very little federal tax taken out. However, if you cross the limit, you become subject to more taxes. During the semester when I work only a few (20-25 hours) per week I usually only have a few dollars per pay check taken out and the majority of that is county tax.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: minendo
Student employee?

yup

I am not quite sure how it works, but certain levels of income by student employees are "federal exempt" or at least very little federal tax taken out. However, if you cross the limit, you become subject to more taxes. During the semester when I work only a few (20-25 hours) per week I usually only have a few dollars per pay check taken out and the majority of that is county tax.

i usually work 15 hrs a week.

but since it got combined, my last paycheck seemed like i had worked 36.5 hrs a week. this sucks. i feel cheated. 12 hrs of work gone to waste (about 80 dollars)

 

[gwlam12]

i think i will have to go to the lady and ask what i got deducted for.

i lots 30.75 for fed tax, 2.69 for state, 8.10 for fica...and 41.88 for "other." it is listed as DCP CAS SV R. anyone have any idea before i leave?

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: minendo
Student employee?

yup

I am not quite sure how it works, but certain levels of income by student employees are "federal exempt" or at least very little federal tax taken out. However, if you cross the limit, you become subject to more taxes. During the semester when I work only a few (20-25 hours) per week I usually only have a few dollars per pay check taken out and the majority of that is county tax.

i usually work 15 hrs a week.

but since it got combined, my last paycheck seemed like i had worked 36.5 hrs a week. this sucks. i feel cheated. 12 hrs of work gone to waste (about 80 dollars)

You will get it all back at the end of the year.

Consider it your Uncle Sam's Savings Program. Where he takes your money before you get it, uses it for half a year then makes you fill out a form with 25pages of instructions and wait 2 months to get it back.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: gwlam12
i think i will have to go to the lady and ask what i got deducted for.

i lots 30.75 for fed tax, 2.69 for state, 8.10 for fica...and 41.88 for "other." it is listed as DCP CAS SV R. anyone have any idea before i leave?

http://www-ogsr.ucsd.edu/financialinfo/gradstudent/fica_info/dcp.pdf

Not sure if that helps.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
Yeah, the more you make the higher percentage of your income they take...

that's a big percentage.

and that stinks cuz the bigger paycheck was a combination of 5 weeks of work, because my supervisor was never around when i needed him to sign my timesheet. hence, they got combined into one bigger check where i lose a lot more money.

No sweat, if you dont make that much every 2 weeks the government will realize this when you file your taxes and you will get the extra back....


edit: doh, someone beat me

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: gwlam12
i think i will have to go to the lady and ask what i got deducted for.

i lots 30.75 for fed tax, 2.69 for state, 8.10 for fica...and 41.88 for "other." it is listed as DCP CAS SV R. anyone have any idea before i leave?

http://www-ogsr.ucsd.edu/financialinfo/gradstudent/fica_info/dcp.pdf

Not sure if that helps.

thanks. sorry, i just thought of looking it up myself. didnt mean to come around as being lazy.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: gwlam12
thanks. sorry, i just thought of looking it up myself. didnt mean to come around as being lazy.

No problem. Actually gave me something to do and kill time while being stuck in the office.

 

[gwlam12]

just thought i'd sum it up. here's what i figured happened.

in order to be fica exempt, i need to have 6 units of courses while i work here. unfortunately i only have 4 units (even though i'm taking 4 units elsewhere as well) so i get taxed

im considering saving up my timesheets and turning them all in during the regular school year to avoid taxes. anyone think this will help me save some money?

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: minendo
Student employee?

yup

I am not quite sure how it works, but certain levels of income by student employees are "federal exempt" or at least very little federal tax taken out. However, if you cross the limit, you become subject to more taxes. During the semester when I work only a few (20-25 hours) per week I usually only have a few dollars per pay check taken out and the majority of that is county tax.

i usually work 15 hrs a week.

but since it got combined, my last paycheck seemed like i had worked 36.5 hrs a week. this sucks. i feel cheated. 12 hrs of work gone to waste (about 80 dollars)

Get used to it, I lose nearly $300 off my paychecks & I don't even earn all that much money.

Viper GTS

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: gwlam12
just thought i'd sum it up. here's what i figured happened.

in order to be fica exempt, i need to have 6 units of courses while i work here. unfortunately i only have 4 units (even though i'm taking 4 units elsewhere as well) so i get taxed

im considering saving up my timesheets and turning them all in during the regular school year to avoid taxes. anyone think this will help me save some money?

Your taxes are based off of how much you earn in a year.

They are ESTIMATED on each check, assuming that you will earn the same amount x however many paychecks you have.

On larger checks you get taxed more, smaller checks you get taxed less. At the end of the year you'll either get a refund or owe money, depending on whether you underpaid or overpaid for the year.

You can even claim huge numbers (like 10) and pay virtually no taxes all year, as long as you have the money to pay your correct tax at the end of the year they don't care.

Viper GTS

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: gwlam12
in a two week period, i earned 237.15 and got taxed 1.78.

in another two week period, same job, i earned 558.45 but got taxed over 80 dollars.

what caused the difference?

You have a Human Resources department for a freaking REASON.

 

[gwlam12]

Viper GTS, I was just wondering what caused the big difference between how much I got taxed. I'm not complaining about being taxed, I'm just wondering what caused the big difference, and the reason turned out to be that it's because I'm working in the summertime.