When interpreting a paycheck stub, which action best confirms accuracy?

• A. Compare net pay to your expectation only
• B. Check gross pay amount, review deductions, and confirm net pay matches expectations and hours worked
• C. Ignore deductions and focus on the company name
• D. Verify the pay date only

Answer: (B)

Verifying paycheck accuracy means tracing how your earnings are calculated from gross pay through deductions to net pay and making sure it matches your hours and pay rate. The best check is to review the gross pay amount, inspect each deduction (tax withholdings, benefits, retirement, etc.), and confirm that the resulting net pay matches what you expect given your hours worked. This approach catches mismatches in hours, rate, overtime, or withholdings that could slip in if you only look at net pay. Checking only the net pay, or focusing on the company name or pay date, does not confirm that the pay calculation was done correctly. So the comprehensive review of gross pay, deductions, and net pay against hours worked is the most reliable confirmation.