Payroll tools and source-backed guidance
Iowa Paystub Generator | Free IA Pay Stub Creator
Create an editable Iowa paystub draft with documented federal estimates and a manual IA withholding field. Preview free, then verify every figure against...
Best Paystub Generator creates simulated earnings documents for lawful personal record-keeping. It does not verify employment or income and does not replace records issued by an employer or payroll provider.
What Iowa Code 91A.6 puts on each payday statement
Under the state's Wage Payment Collection law, a statement is due on every regular payday showing the hours worked, the wages earned, and the deductions made. The statute also fixes how it reaches you: by mail, by secure electronic transmission, in person at your normal place of employment, or through online access paired with free, unrestricted use of a printer. Hours can be left off for workers exempt from federal overtime rules, unless the employer pays them overtime, a bonus, or anything based on hours. Request one and you are owed an itemized statement within ten working days explaining how wages and deductions were computed. Wage complaints go to the Wage and Child Labor Unit at the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
Deductions Iowa law puts off limits
Wages are taxed here, with the Department of Revenue publishing the tables, formulas and percentages behind the state line. Past taxes, section 91A.5 is restrictive: nothing comes out unless law or a court order requires it, or you authorized it in writing for a lawful purpose benefiting you. A second list is off limits, with conditions attached to each: a shortage in a till shared by two or more people, bounced customer checks you had discretion to accept, breakage or damage not traced to willful disregard of the employer's interests, lost or stolen property never assigned to you in writing, tips, and protective equipment needed for workplace hazards. Paydays run monthly, semimonthly or biweekly, and cannot fall more than twelve days after the pay period ends, excluding Sundays and legal holidays.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Iowa employer have to give me a pay stub?
Yes. Iowa Code 91A.6 requires a statement on each regular payday showing hours worked, wages earned and deductions made. It can arrive by mail, by secure electronic transmission, in person at your workplace, or as online access - and if the employer chooses online access, it must give you free and unrestricted access to a printer. Hours may be omitted for employees exempt from federal overtime rules.
Can an Iowa employer deduct a cash register shortage from my pay?
Not from a till, cash box or register operated by two or more employees, or by an employee and the employer - section 91A.5 bars that deduction. One narrow exception exists: an employer and a full-time employee who manages an establishment may sign a written agreement making that manager responsible for a shortage occurring within forty-five days before the most recent regular payday, and only one such agreement may be in effect per establishment.
Is a generated draft an employer-issued pay statement in Iowa?
No. A generated draft can help organize genuine payroll information, but it does not verify employment or income and does not replace a statement issued by an employer or payroll provider.
Where should I verify Iowa payroll deductions?
Check the current instructions from the IRS and the relevant Iowa tax and labor agencies. The calculator provides estimates from the information entered; local taxes, special programs, filing status, and payroll circumstances can change the result.
What records should an independent contractor keep in Iowa?
Keep invoices, contracts, platform payout statements, bank records, expense records, and Forms 1099 when applicable. A personal earnings draft can support reconciliation, but it should not be presented as an employer-issued pay statement.