By Whether you're an employee or an employer, you’ll sooner or later face the paystub as an important payroll document. Employers must provide paycheck stubs, but what if you're self-employed? It can be hard to keep track of your hours worked and wages earned. A pay stub not only helps you stay organized, but it is proof of your earning
Self-employed individuals and contractors can make paystubs on their own. For this purpose, they need to be registered as such an entity and they also need to maintain financial records to determine earnings and taxes/deductions accurately.
If you’re about to create your very first check stub, the following guide will acquaint you with the essentials and teach you how to guarantee the legality of the document.
Make a Pay Stub 101: Let’s Start with the Basics
A pay stub, a wage statement, or a payslip, is a document that itemizes an employee's income and deductions for a given pay period. An employer is legally required to provide their employees with a pay stub in some states. Self-employed individuals and contractors, however, do not have an employer. Hence, they will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of meticulous income records, including paycheck stubs.
If you're an employee, your pay stub will show your gross wages (the amount of money you earned before taxes or other deductions), deductions, and your net wages (the amount of money you take home).
Paycheck stubs for self-employed people will pretty much contain the same information. As a self-employed professional, you are the one responsible for entering all of the details and making sure the calculations are accurate.
Using an Online Generator: What Is a Pay Stub Template?
If you’re wondering how to make check stubs, you’re probably doing some online research to learn more about the options. Online generators are an excellent choice for various reasons.
An online paystub generator is a tool that can automate some of the calculations and help you personalize the appearance of the paycheck stub you’re creating. For the purpose, you’ll often be given access to various templates within the platform.
A paystub template is a pre-formatted document that you can use to create a professional pay stub. Creating a pay stub is easy with our online pay stub generator. Simply select the template you want to use and enter your information. Once you're done, you can download or print your paycheck stub.
Check out the ultimate paystub template guide.
How To Select A Check Stub Template?
Finding the right check stub template for your business can be confusing. There are many different templates on the market, and it can be hard to know which one is right for you. This guide will help you select the best check stub template for your business!
When you're ready to choose a standard check stub template, keep the following in mind:
- Business Type:
Different check stub templates are designed for different types of businesses. Make sure you choose one that's designed for your type of business.
- Business Size
Small businesses have different needs than large businesses. Choose a check stub template that is appropriate for your business's size.
- Budget
Check stub template prices can vary considerably. Choose one that fits within your budget.
- Needs
Think about what information you want on the stubs. Should it be kept simple and minimal or contain more detailed information? What will be most helpful at tax time?
Real Check Stubs™ offers numerous pay stub templates. Choose the one that's right for your business needs. The correct check stub template can make a big difference in your business.
Types Of Paycheck Stub Templates
After you've considered the business type, size, budget, and needs, you're ready to select a check stub template. Here are a few of our favorites:
Basic Check Stub Template
The basic template is perfect for small businesses or businesses with simple payroll needs. It includes fields for employee information, wages, and deductions.
Advanced Check Stub Template
Businesses with more complex payroll needs might need the advanced template. It includes employee information, wages, deductions, and other payment details.
Customizable Check Stub Template
This paystub template is a good option for a business that needs a little bit of everything. What's more, it's fully customizable, so you can add or remove fields, as needed.
With Real Check Stubs™, you can choose from 16 different types of pay stub templates. We are confident that we have a template that meets your business needs.
Make a Paycheck Stub on Your Own: Benefits of Using A Template
There are many benefits to using a pay stub template.
Time Saver
They say that time is money, and this is especially true when it comes to business. Using a template to create pay stubs can save you a considerable amount of time, especially if you have many employees.
Accuracy
A significant advantage of using a template is that it can help you avoid errors. Creating your own pay stubs gives you a much greater chance of making mistakes- leading to potentially serious and time-consuming problems down the road.
Affordability
A pay stub template is affordable. If you were to hire someone to create pay stubs for you, it would be very costly. However, if you use a template, you can get the same (or better!) results for a fraction of the cost.
Convenience
Convenience is another benefit of using a pay stub template. Once you have the template, you can generate your stub anytime, anywhere. It is especially convenient for businesses that have employees in different locations.
Quick and Easy
Creating pay stubs with a template is quick and easy. You don't need any special skills or knowledge to use a template. All you need is a computer and an internet connection.
Real-Time Updates
One of the best things about using a pay stub template is getting real-time updates. This comes in handy when there are required changes in payroll calculations, as you will be able to revise your template at any time.
Designing A Professional Paycheck Stub
Real Check Stubs™ offers users the ability to design their own professional-looking paycheck stubs. The website is user-friendly and provides various features to customize your pay stub. You can include your company logo, contact details, and other necessary information. The stubs are then emailed to you as a PDF file which you can print or save for your records.
The ultimate guide to making a paycheck stub
A professional paystub must include the following:
Company Information
Company information will be on your pay stub. This includes the company name, address, logo, and email address. It is also intelligent to list the company's telephone number in case your employee needs to contact someone regarding their paycheck.
Employee Information
Employee name and Id number are essential to include on a paycheck stub. Other common items are the employee's address, start date, and job title. If you are a small business, you might not use employee ID numbers. Instead, you can use the last four digits of the employee's Social Security Number or a different identifying number of choice.
Pay Period and Gross Pay
The pay period for the earnings should be marked on the pay stub. The pay period is typically weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Gross pay (the total amount earned before any deductions are taken), net pay (the total after deductions), and any vacation or sick pay the employee has earned should be on the pay stub. You'll also need to list the date the check was issued.
Learn about: Gross Pay vs Net Pay
Deductions
There are many deductions that can be taken out of an employee's paycheck. The most common are federal and state taxes, Social Security, and Medicare. These deductions are based on the employee's gross pay and on the number of allowances they claimed on their W-4 form.
These are just a few of the required pieces of information that should be included on a professional pay stub.
Contact our customer support team for more information on designing a professional pay stub. You can also ask for example forms or templates to help you get started.
The Legality of Creating Your Own Paycheck Stub
Now that you know how to make pay stubs and how to choose the perfect software for the task, we need to tackle the legality of such a project.
A person who is registered as a self-employed individual or a contractor can make their own financial documents. The only thing here is to make sure that the details entered in every single one are correct. Mistakes can lead to some problems whenever tax season arrives and in the event of an audit.
If you are an employed person but you don’t get a paycheck stub from your employer, you could be thinking about making your own.
It’s very easy to make a paycheck stub, given the fact that free software products exist for the purpose.
You may also feel tempted to tweak some of the details, especially if you want to use the document as proof of income.
Understand the fact that a pay stub will usually not be used as the only proof of income. You’ll be asked to verify your earnings in additional ways.
Also, making a paycheck stub that features false information can be considered fraud. It’s easy to see how this can lead to very serious consequences for you. Don’t attempt to handle the process on your own. It’s a much better idea to request proof of income from your employer – an official document that will serve you in front of banks, potential landlords or other entities that need such information.
FAQs on How to Make Paystubs with Real Check Stubs
If I lost my pay stub, can Real Check Stubs™ resend it to me?
We can always resend you a new copy of your pay stub if you lose the original. Contact our customer service team to request a new document.
How do I create a pay stub for myself?
While your employer is responsible for creating your official pay stub, you can easily create a pay stub for yourself using our online pay stub generator. Just enter your information and hit "Generate." You'll have a professional-looking pay stub in no time!
How can I pay for my pay stub?
You can use any major credit card to pay for your paystubs. Your payment information is secure and processed through the industry-leading payment processor.
What is the best paystub generator?
There are a lot of pay stub makers out there, but Real Check Stubs™ is the best. Our online pay stub generator is easy to use and produces high-quality results. Our customer service team is always here to help if you have any questions.
Conclusion
Now that you know it is possible to create a pay stub for yourself, you can do so quickly and confidently. Our user-friendly platform allows you to create a professional and accurate pay stub in minutes.
With our service, you can rest assured that your payroll details are in good hands. However, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're always ready to help and support our customers in any way possible. Thank you for choosing paystub generator from Real Check Stubs™!
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