The three things that come out of every paycheck
- Social Security tax: 6.2% of your wages. The IRS lists the employee rate at 6.2%, with your employer paying another 6.2% (IRS Topic 751, page updated September 24, 2026). It applies to wages up to $184,500 in 2026 (same source), a limit no teen job reaches.
- Medicare tax: 1.45% of your wages. Also matched by your employer (IRS Topic 751, September 24, 2026). There is no wage cap.
- Federal income tax withholding. The only part you control. Your employer withholds an amount based on the Form W-4 you fill out when hired (IRS, About Form W-4, 2026 form).
On a pay stub these two lines may be labeled "FICA," or "OASDI" and "Medicare." Together they take 7.65% of every check.
A worked example
Say you work 25 hours at $16.00 an hour. Your gross pay is $400.00.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Line | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $400.00 | 25 hours times $16.00 |
| Social Security | $24.80 | 6.2% of $400 (IRS Topic 751) |
| Medicare | $5.80 | 1.45% of $400 (IRS Topic 751) |
| Federal income tax | Set by your W-4 | $0.00 if you validly claimed exempt |
| State income tax | $0.00 in nine states; varies elsewhere | See the state table below |
| Net pay | about $369.40 | Before any state tax or other deductions |
Form W-4: the form that sets your withholding
The IRS says to "complete Form W-4 so that your employer can withhold the correct federal income tax from your pay" (IRS, About Form W-4, 2026 form). You can file a new one any time.
Many first-time workers can claim exemption from withholding. The IRS allows it only if the employee had no tax liability for the previous year and expects none for the current year (IRS Topic 753, page updated September 24, 2026). If you had no job last year and expect to earn less than the standard deduction this year, you may meet both tests. An exemption is "valid for only the calendar year in which it's furnished to the employer," and a new W-4 is due by February 15 to stay exempt (same source). If you are not sure, leave the W-4 at the default: extra withholding comes back as a refund when you file a return the next spring.
When you owe no federal income tax
The standard deduction for a single filer is $16,100 for tax year 2026 (IRS news release IR-2025-103, October 9, 2025, Revenue Procedure 2025-32). Income below that amount is not taxed. A teen who works 15 hours a week at $16 an hour all year earns about $12,500, which is under the line. Social Security and Medicare still come out; the deduction does not cover those.
If a parent claims you as a dependent, the deduction is figured differently: for 2025 the IRS set it at the greater of $1,350 or earned income plus $450, up to the regular amount (IRS Publication 501, 2025). Wages below the regular amount are still not taxed. This describes the federal rules; it is not tax advice. If tax was withheld that you did not owe, the only way to get it back is to file a return, so keep your W-2.
State income tax: nine states take nothing from wages
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| State | What the state says | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | "There is no personal state income tax." | Dept. of Commerce, Alaska Tax Facts, viewed October 19, 2026 |
| Florida | "The State of Florida does not have a personal income tax." | Dept. of Revenue, viewed October 19, 2026 |
| Nevada | Residents "do not pay state tax on income earned from salaries, wages, or similar compensation." | Dept. of Taxation, viewed October 19, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | No income tax "on an individual's reported W-2 wages." The tax on interest and dividends ended for periods beginning January 1, 2025. | Dept. of Revenue Administration, release of January 23, 2025; tax page viewed October 19, 2026 |
| South Dakota | "One of seven states that does not impose a state income tax." | Dept. of Revenue, viewed October 19, 2026 |
| Tennessee | "No state income tax on earned income and therefore has no withholding requirements." | Dept. of Revenue, GEN-34, August 13, 2024 |
| Texas | "Texas has no state income tax." | Comptroller, Fiscal Notes, December 2025 |
| Washington | "Does not currently have an individual income tax." A 9.9% tax on income over $1 million begins January 1, 2028. | Dept. of Revenue, viewed October 19, 2026 |
| Wyoming | "Wyoming does not collect a personal income tax." | Office of the Governor, April 27, 2026 |
Everywhere else, your employer withholds state income tax, and some cities tax wages too. Thresholds for low earners differ by state, so check your state revenue department before you claim exemption from state withholding.
How often you get paid
Federal law sets no pay schedule; state law does. Your first check may cover only part of a pay period, so ask when the first period ends and when its payday is. The state rules are in pay frequency laws by state; employers that pay every week are in jobs with weekly pay.
Direct deposit, paper check, or pay card
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says: "Your employer can't require you to receive your wages on a payroll card," and "your employer has to offer you at least one alternative and allow you to choose" (CFPB, Ask CFPB, last reviewed October 31, 2024). Pay cards can charge fees for some uses, such as ATM withdrawals, and the CFPB notes that many state laws require that you can get your money for free (same source).
How to read a pay stub
Federal law does not require a pay stub, but it requires employers to keep records for every hourly worker: hours worked each day, total hours each workweek, the regular hourly rate, total wages each pay period, all deductions, and the date and period of each payment (DOL Fact Sheet 21, revised July 2008). Whether you get a pay statement depends on state law. On a stub, look for the pay period and pay date, regular and overtime hours, gross pay, each tax on its own line, other deductions, net pay, and year-to-date totals that should match your W-2. Check the hours against your own record of shifts first. For reading pay before you apply: how to read pay on a job posting.
If you earn tips
Under federal law an employer may pay a tipped worker a cash wage of $2.13 an hour and count up to $5.12 an hour in tips toward the $7.25 federal minimum wage. If tips plus cash wage do not reach $7.25, the employer must make up the difference. A tipped employee is one who regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips (DOL Fact Sheet 15). Many states require a higher cash wage or allow no tip credit; see minimum wage by state. Tips are taxable wages too.
The youth minimum wage
Federal law lets an employer pay workers under 20 a youth minimum wage of not less than $4.25 an hour during the first 90 consecutive calendar days after they are first employed. Where a state or local minimum wage is higher and has no exception for workers under 20, the higher rate applies (DOL Fact Sheet 32, revised July 2008). What teen jobs actually pay: jobs that hire at 16 and pay benchmarks for hourly jobs.
Before the first check, three other rules apply to minors: hours limits in teen work hours by state, permits in work permits for minors by state, and the job and hour limits in jobs for 14 and 15 year olds.
Current openings
See retail jobs nationwide, or by city: Dallas, Chicago. Postings that list an hourly rate make it easy to estimate your first check with the example above.
Source-linked openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Every opening on JobPin links to its source posting. Open it, check the date, and confirm the pay rate and pay schedule on the employer's own site before you give personal information. Do not give your Social Security number or bank details before a written job offer, and do not pay a fee to apply. Enter W-4 and direct deposit details only in the employer's own onboarding system, after you are hired.
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