1. An Earthlings Guide to Understanding Paychecks
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Planet Paycheck
a. Slide 1: Title Slide
An Earthlings Guide to Understanding Paychecks

2. Planet Paycheck Navigation
Welcome to Planet Paycheck!
While visiting Planet Paycheck the vast
world of paychecks will be explored!
b. Slide 2: Planet Paycheck Navigation

3. First Job!
Miss Patty Paycheck has just received her first paycheck from her new job!
But, the paycheck amount seems a little lower than she had figured. How could that be?
Taxes – Required charges of citizens by local, state, and federal governments
Taxes are deducted from all employees paychecks
Used to provide public goods and services
Roads, police, schools, governmental agencies, fire and emergency services
c. Slide 3: First Job!

4. Starting a New Job To receive a paycheck, an employee must:
Complete a Form W-4
Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate
Determines the amount of money withheld for taxes
d. Slide 4 – 6: Starting a New Job

5. Starting a New Job Complete a Form I-9
Used to prove the identity of people and avoid hiring non United States citizens
Must provide at least 2 of the following
passport
driver’s license
U.S. military card
Social Security card
birth certificate

6. Starting A New Job Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement)
States the amount of money earned and taxes paid throughout the previous year
Used to file income taxes by April 15th
Individuals may be exempt from filing federal withholdings if they make less than a certain amount per year
a. The Form W-4, I-9 and W-2 can be downloaded from the IRS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services websites to pass out for students to see. The downloading Instructions are in the Resources section of this lesson plan.

7. Methods for Paying Employees
Paycheck
Paper check with stub
Least secure payment method because the employee is responsible for handling the paycheck
2. Direct Deposit
Employers directly deposit employee’s paycheck into the authorized employee’s bank account
Payroll Card
A payroll card electronically carries the balance of the employee’s net income
On the board write Paycheck, Direct Deposit and Payroll Card in three different columns.
a. Working in groups, have students identify one possible pro and con to using each payment method.
b. Ask one student from each group to write their group ideas under the appropriate column.
7. Return to Power Point presentation.

8. Payment Method Pros and Cons
Paycheck
Pros:
Employee controls when the check is deposited
Cons:
Least secure, employee responsible for getting it to the bank
Direct Deposit
No direct handling of check
Employee knows exactly when he/she will be paid
Payroll card
Pros:
Wages automatically loaded onto a card
Cons
May charge fees for use of the card
a. Slide 8: Payment Method Pros and Cons
a. Lead a brief discussion on the pros and cons of the different payment methods.
1. Which method would be best?
2. Which would be easiest to manage?
3. Which would be the most difficult?

9. Reading A Paycheck Stub
Items on a paycheck stub include:
Personal Information -The employee’s full name, address, and social security number or employee identification number
Pay Period -The length of time for which an employee’s wages are calculated
Most businesses pay employees either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly
Slide 9-10: Reading a Paycheck Stub
Pass out “Navigating a Paycheck Stub worksheet A2”

10. Reading A Paycheck Stub
Gross Income– The total amount of money earned before payroll withholdings
If a person earns an hourly wage, gross income is calculated by multiplying the number of hours worked by the wage

11. What is the Gross Income?
If Miss Patty Paycheck worked at Terrific Tacos for $6.00/hour for 15 hours a week what will her gross income be?
# hours worked x wage = gross income
15 hours x $6.00/hr = $90.00/week
. Slide 11: What is the Gross Income?
a. Allow time for students to calculate Miss Patty Paycheck’s gross income for a one-week pay period and a two-week pay period and record on the note-taking guide.
What is Miss Patty Paycheck’s gross income for a two week pay period?
30 hours x $6.00/hr = $ for 2 weeks

12. Reading A Paycheck Stub
Payroll Withholdings – The amount of money subtracted from the gross income for taxes. Typically about 30% of your paycheck!
Withholding Tax – The amount required by law for employers to withhold from earned wages to pay taxes
FICA-Federal Insurance Contribution Act
Fed OASDI/EE (Federal Old Age Survivors Disability Insurance Employee Employment Tax) or Social Security - helps provide retirement income for the elderly and pays disability benefits
Fed MED/EE (Federal Medicare Employee Employment Tax) or Medicare - health care program for the elderly and disabled

13. Reading A Paycheck Stub
Net Income– The amount left after all payroll deductions have been taken from the gross income
Net income is also referred to as “take home” pay

14. Miss Patty Paycheck’s Paycheck Stub
Miss Patty Paycheck’s paycheck includes:
Gross Income $180.00
Payroll Withholdings:
Federal Withholding Tax $14.10
State Withholding Tax $5.45
FICA $13.77
What is her Net Income?
Gross Income– Payroll Withholdings = Net Income
Slide 14: Miss Patty Paycheck’s Paycheck Stub
a. Allow students time to calculate the net income and record on the note-taking guide.
$ – ($ $ $13.77) = $146.68

15. Reading A Paycheck Stub
Year-to-Date- Totals all of the deductions which have been withheld from an individual’s paycheck from January 1 to the last day of the pay period indicated on the paycheck stub

16. Sample Paycheck Stub Terrific Tacos Employee Paycheck, Patty
SSN/Employee Identification Number
Check # 164
Check Amount (net income)
$146.68
Employee Address 293 Michael Grove Billings, MT
Pay Type- Gross Income
Deductions
Current
Year-to-date
 $180.00
Federal Withholding State Withholding FICA
$14.10 $5.45 $13.77
$ $ $330.48
Totals
$33.32
$757.38
Pay Period 6/11/2007-6/25/2007
Slide 16: Sample Paycheck Stub
a. Point out each section of the paycheck stub as a quick review of the content learned in this lesson.

17. Remember to Review
It is important to review each paycheck stub to identify any possible mistakes!
If a mistake is found, contact the employer for clarification

18. Thanks for Visiting Thank you for visiting planet paycheck.
Good luck with all of your future paycheck journeys!
Thanks for Visiting
Refer back to the Agree or Disagree? Worksheet A3.
a. Have participants complete the “after” section to determine if their choices changed throughout the lesson.
b. Discuss the correct answers.
a. A paper paycheck is the only way an employer may pay an employee.
1. Disagree – Employees may also be paid by direct deposit or a payroll card.
b. 30% of an employee’s earnings goes to taxes.
1. Agree
c. The amount an employee receives in their paycheck is their net income.