PaycheckClear

Editorial Policy

Last updated · PaycheckClear editorial team

What we cover

PaycheckClear publishes state-level take-home pay calculators and explanatory pages about federal income tax, FICA, state income tax, local income tax, and payroll deductions. We do not publish filing advice, investment advice, or individualized tax planning.

Who writes the pages

Pages are written and reviewed by the PaycheckClear editorial team. The team combines payroll calculation work with source verification against IRS, SSA, and state revenue department publications. We do not use invented CPA or EA credentials. When a page needs a credentialed reviewer and one is not available, the byline stays at the team level and the limitation is stated rather than hidden.

Review process

  1. Primary source first. Every rate, threshold, and deduction is traced to an IRS publication, SSA table, state statute, state form, or state revenue department page. Blogs, forums, and competitor calculators are not accepted as the basis for a rate.
  2. Cross-check the arithmetic. Each state calculation is checked at three salary levels and at least two filing statuses, including one salary above the Social Security wage base when relevant.
  3. Check the visible output. The worked example, FAQ numbers, and JSON-LD FAQ text must match the live calculator output for the same inputs.
  4. Record the date. The visible “Last updated” date and the structured-data dateModified value come from one build variable.

Corrections

Corrections are made within five business days of a confirmed official change. A confirmed factual error is corrected on the page and logged on the methodology page. If the error affects a published number, we state which states and which line items were affected. To report an error, email hello@paycheckclear.com.

Use of automation

Automation is used to build pages and run arithmetic checks, but it is not used to invent rates or to generate individualized tax conclusions. Every published rate has a source link and a verification status. The site does not publish “you should file as” recommendations.

Independence and advertising

Advertising and partner links do not influence the calculation, the order of states, or the content of a rate table. PaycheckClear is free to use. We may earn a commission from some partner links, and we display advertising. This never affects the numbers we calculate.