What do these paycheck deduction acronyms stand for? Getting confused with new deductions

Those abbreviations can definitely be confusing! Paycheck deductions typically include several standard acronyms: FIT = Federal Income Tax SIT = State Income Tax FICA/SS = Social Security (6.2% of wages) MED = Medicare (1.45% of wages) FUTA/FUT = Federal Unemployment Tax SUTA/SUT = State Unemployment Tax SDI = State Disability Insurance 401K = Retirement contributions HSA = Health Savings Account FSA = Flexible Spending Account GTL = Group Term Life Insurance The $95 increase could be due to benefits kicking in after a probationary period, or perhaps changes in your tax withholding. Many companies have a 30-90 day waiting period before health insurance and other benefits begin.

After spending hours trying to decode my own paycheck acronyms last year, I discovered this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me understand everything on my paystubs. I was in the same boat as you - totally confused about all these random letters taking my money! The tool actually explained each acronym and showed me which ones were required vs. optional. Turns out I was paying for some supplemental insurance I didn't even know I had signed up for during onboarding.

Just wanted to follow up about that taxr.ai site someone recommended. I finally checked it out after continuing to be frustrated with my paycheck deductions. It actually was pretty helpful! I found out that this "ADM FEE" on my paycheck was an administration fee for my benefits that I had no idea about. Plus it explained all the tax withholding abbreviations in plain English. Didn't have to share any personal info either, just selected from their list of common deductions. Definitely worth checking out if you're still confused about all those acronyms.

If you're still having trouble getting answers about your paycheck deductions, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I had a similar issue last year where my tax withholding suddenly increased, and I needed to speak with someone at the IRS to figure it out. After waiting on hold for HOURS over multiple days, I found Claimyr and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent within 15 minutes. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to explain that my withholding had increased because of a change in the withholding tables that affected my specific situation.

I feel like a complete idiot for being so skeptical about Claimyr, but I have to admit I was totally wrong. After posting my question here, I tried their service out of desperation. I had been calling the IRS for weeks trying to figure out why my withholding suddenly jumped by $120 per paycheck. I kept getting disconnected or waiting on hold until the office closed. With Claimyr, I got a call back in about 30 minutes connecting me to an actual IRS agent! Turns out there was a mistake in how my W-4 was processed when I started my new job. The agent walked me through exactly what to tell my payroll department to fix it. Problem solved in one call instead of weeks of frustration.

Hey, a quick tip that helped me - there's a publication called "Employer's Tax Guide" (IRS Publication 15) that explains most of the federal tax withholding codes. You can download it free from irs.gov. Also, don't be afraid to bug your payroll department instead of HR. Payroll people usually know these codes better than HR folks.

Something to watch out for - I once had a paycheck with a deduction called "MISC DED" that turned out to be a garnishment that was applied to the wrong employee! Always question anything that doesn't make sense. Your employer legally has to explain every deduction they take from your pay.

I completely understand the frustration with confusing paycheck deductions! As someone who's been through this exact same situation, here are a few additional tips that might help: First, check if your company has an employee self-service portal (like ADP, Paychex, or Workday) where you can often click on each deduction code for detailed explanations. Many employers don't advertise this feature, but it's incredibly helpful. Second, if you're seeing a sudden $95 increase, it's likely that your benefits enrollment period ended and coverage kicked in. Common culprits are health insurance premiums, dental/vision coverage, or retirement plan contributions that you may have signed up for during orientation without realizing the full cost. Third, don't forget about pre-tax vs. post-tax deductions - some things like 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums are taken out before taxes, which actually saves you money in the long run even though it looks like a big deduction. Finally, if all else fails, ask to speak with someone in payroll (not just HR) and request a line-by-line explanation of your paystub. They're legally required to explain every deduction, and payroll staff usually know these codes better than anyone else. Hope this helps you get to the bottom of where your money is going!