Your teen decodes an entire pay stub — gross vs. net, federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax.
They learn what a W-4 actually does, how it differs from a W-2, and why teens often get withheld money back.
Then they grab their own stub and check the math themselves — with a step-by-step checklist built in.
The money lesson every first job comes with — finally explained
Page 1 walks through a realistic sample pay stub with every line labeled and the math verified. Page 2 explains each deduction in plain English — what it is, where it goes, and why it's there. Page 3 covers the W-4, the W-2, and how refunds actually work, then hands your teen a checklist to decode their own paycheck. Clearly-labeled illustrative numbers mean it never goes stale — and your student walks away able to explain their paycheck better than most adults.
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