Running total of earnings and deductions from January 1st through the current pay period.
Common paystub code: YTD
Year-to-Date (YTD) figures on your paystub show the cumulative total of each line item since January 1st. YTD Gross shows your total earnings for the year so far; YTD Federal Tax shows total federal tax withheld, and so on. Your final paystub of the year should closely match your W-2 form. If there's a significant discrepancy (more than $50), contact your payroll department before tax filing season.
On a typical US paystub, year-to-date (ytd) information appears in one of three sections — the earnings summary, the deductions list, or the year-to-date (YTD) totals — depending on the type of item. Understanding where to find it helps you verify accuracy, catch payroll errors, and prepare for tax season or loan applications.
Whether you receive a digital paystub through your employer's payroll system (such as ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, or Paychex) or a traditional paper stub, the information for year-to-date (ytd) is required by federal labor law to be itemized and accurate. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state-specific wage transparency laws mandate that employees can review and verify each line of their paystub.
Accurate knowledge of year-to-date (ytd) is essential for several real-world scenarios common to US workers: when applying for an apartment rental (landlords typically require recent paystubs as proof of income), when applying for a car loan or mortgage (lenders verify gross and net pay across multiple paystubs), when filing your annual tax return (IRS Form 1040 reconciles to your year-to-date W-2 or 1099 totals), and when changing jobs (you may need to provide last paystubs to your new employer for benefits eligibility verification).
If you spot an error related to year-to-date (ytd) on your paystub, US labor law requires your employer to investigate and correct the issue. The American Payroll Association reports that nearly 75% of US workers will experience at least one payroll error during their career, which is why understanding each line item — including year-to-date (ytd) — is one of the most valuable financial literacy skills you can develop.