Starting at Walmart and wondering when your first paycheck arrives? This guide covers the full 2026 Walmart pay schedule, why the wait feels longer than expected, what comes out of your check, and what to do if something looks wrong.
Most 50/30/20 guides use a $3,500-a-month example that doesn’t match a real first job. This guide applies the rule to actual biweekly paychecks at $15, $18, and $20 an hour, with a quick-reference table for your own net pay.
A payroll cutoff date is the deadline for submitting and approving hours, overtime, and other pay information before an employer runs payroll. If your start date falls in a new pay period or your hours are not approved in time, your first paycheck may be smaller or arrive later than expected. This guide explains the difference between pay periods and payroll cutoffs, shows exactly how each affects your first check, and tells you what to ask HR on day one.
For most minors working part-time in 2026, the answer is 7.65% — all from FICA. Social Security and Medicare come out of almost every ordinary W-2 paycheck regardless of age. Federal income tax is $0 for most teens earning under $16,100 annually. This guide shows the exact dollar breakdown for common teen wages from $10 to $15 per hour, covers California-specific deductions, and explains when minors can get a tax refund.
No federal income tax withheld from your paycheck? For most first-job workers this is completely normal — your income may simply be too low for withholding to apply. But there are five different reasons it can happen, and one of them does need fixing. This guide explains each cause, how to tell which one applies to you, and exactly what to do next.
Yes — teenagers pay taxes on their first paycheck, but not always the ones people expect. FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare) come out of almost every teen paycheck from day one. Federal income tax depends on total annual earnings and how the W-4 was filled out. This guide covers exactly what taxes come out of a teenager’s first paycheck, whether they will owe anything at tax time, and when they need to file a return.
The 2026 W-4 no longer has a “0 or 1” option — the IRS removed the allowances system in 2020. This guide explains what your 16-year-old should actually put on their W-4, when they can legally claim exempt, what happens if they get it wrong, and what parents need to know before their teenager signs the form.
The 2026 401(k) contribution limit is $24,500 — but if you are in your first job making $35,000–$50,000, you will use less than 15% of that limit. This guide explains what the 2026 401k limits actually mean for a first-time worker, why the employer match matters more than the cap, and what you should actually do this week.
⚡ How much of my paycheck should I put in my 401(k)? — quick answer Yes — if your employer offers a match, contribute at least enough to get the full match on day one. That match is free money and the best guaranteed return on any investment you will ever find. If there is…
FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act — and it is the reason your first paycheck is smaller than your hourly rate times hours worked. This plain-English guide explains what FICA is, why 7.65% comes out of every check, what Social Security and Medicare actually fund, whether you ever get it back, and how FICA differs from federal income tax. Includes a pay stub decoder for OASDI, MED, and HI labels.