Final Paycheck Calculator (2026)
Estimate your gross final paycheck — unpaid hours, overtime, unused PTO, and owed commissions — and see your state's legal deadline for when it must be paid.
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What goes into a final paycheck
A final paycheck is not one number — it's a stack of everything you earned but haven't been paid yet:
- Unpaid regular hours through your last day, at your normal rate
- Unpaid overtime at 1.5× (federal FLSA weekly rule)
- Accrued, unused vacation/PTO — if your state or employer policy requires payout
- Earned commissions or bonuses that can be calculated now
- Minus normal payroll deductions (taxes, garnishments, authorized deductions only)
The calculator below adds the gross amount. Your employer still withholds taxes from it like any paycheck — this page estimates what's owed, not the net deposit.
The federal baseline
The Fair Labor Standards Act doesn't set a special final-pay deadline. The Department of Labor's position is that final wages are due by the next regular payday. Everything stricter than that comes from state law — and states vary enormously, from "immediately" to "no law at all." That's why the deadline table below is half the value of this page.
Final-pay deadlines by state (reviewed October 2026)
| State | If fired / laid off | If you quit |
|---|---|---|
| California | Immediately (Lab. Code §201) | Within 72 hours; immediately with 72+ hrs notice (§202) |
| Colorado | Immediately | Next regular payday |
| Massachusetts | Day of discharge | Next regular payday |
| Oregon | End of next business day | Immediately with 48 hrs notice; else 5 days or next payday |
| Texas | Within 6 calendar days (Lab. Code §61.014) | Next regular payday |
| Illinois | Next regular payday (immediately if possible) | Next regular payday |
| New York | Next regular payday | Next regular payday |
| New Jersey | Next regular payday | Next regular payday |
| Pennsylvania | Next regular payday | Next regular payday |
| Ohio | Next regular payday or within 15 days | Next regular payday or within 15 days |
| Washington | Next regular payday | Next regular payday |
| Florida | No state law — federal default | No state law — federal default |
Deadlines summarized from PayNW, Asure Software, LawInfo, and World Population Review state-law compilations (all reflecting 2026). Not legal advice — confirm with your state's labor agency; a few states have industry-specific exceptions.
Worked example: $25/hour, fired in California
| Component | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid regular hours (16) | 16 × $25 | $400 |
| Unpaid overtime (4 hrs) | 4 × $25 × 1.5 | $150 |
| Unused vacation (24 hrs, CA requires payout) | 24 × $25 | $600 |
| Earned commission owed | — | $500 |
| Gross final paycheck | $1,650 |
Deadline: immediately on discharge. Each day late adds a $200 waiting-time penalty (8 × $25) up to 30 days — potentially $6,000 on top of the $1,650.
PTO payout is the tricky part
Whether unused vacation must be paid out is one of the most state-specific rules in employment law:
- Must pay out: California, Illinois, Colorado, Montana, and a few others treat accrued vacation as earned wages.
- Policy controls: in most states, payout depends on what the employer's written policy or agreement promises.
- "Use it or lose it" is banned in some states, allowed in others.
If you're unsure, set the PTO line to your accrued hours and check your handbook — then verify against your state labor agency. Sick leave is rarely required to be paid out anywhere.
If your final check is late or short
- Calculate what's owed with the tool above and save your time records and pay stubs.
- Make a written demand for the exact amount, dated, with proof of delivery.
- File a wage claim with your state labor agency (or the DOL if your state has no law).
- Know the penalty — in strict states like California the daily penalty often exceeds the missing wages themselves, which is exactly the point.
Data sources and review date
- State deadlines: PayNW "Final Paycheck Laws by State" (2026), Asure Software state-by-state termination pay rules, LawInfo final paycheck rules, World Population Review 2026 compilation. Cross-checked September–October 2026.
- California statutes: Labor Code §§201, 202, 203, 227.3. Texas: Labor Code §61.014.
- Data reviewed: October 2026. State legislatures change these rules; verify with your state labor agency before acting. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Estimates only — not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does my employer have to pay out unused vacation or PTO?
It depends on your state. California treats accrued vacation as earned wages that must be paid out (CA Labor Code §227.3); Illinois and several others do too. In many states, payout depends on the employer's written policy. This calculator includes a PTO line you can set to zero if your state and policy don't require payout.
What's the difference between being fired and quitting for final pay?
In strict states the deadline changes: California requires immediate payment when you're fired but allows 72 hours when you quit without notice; Texas gives 6 days after a firing but uses the next payday for quits. In about half the states the deadline is simply the next regular payday either way.
What is California's waiting time penalty?
If a California employer willfully fails to pay final wages on time, you earn a full day's wages for every day the payment is late, up to 30 days (CA Labor Code §203). At $25/hour × 8 hours, that's $200/day — up to $6,000. This is a penalty, not part of the paycheck itself, and usually requires filing a wage claim.
Can my employer deduct things from my final paycheck?
Normal payroll deductions (taxes, garnishments) still apply. Beyond that, employers generally may only deduct amounts you authorized in writing, like a documented pay advance. They cannot deduct for unreturned equipment or alleged shortages without your written authorization — those are separate disputes.
Is severance part of my final paycheck?
No. Final pay is wages you already earned; severance is an extra payment some employers offer, usually in exchange for a release of claims. They're calculated and taxed separately — see our severance pay calculator.
My state has no final-pay law. What applies?
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act baseline: the Department of Labor expects final wages by the next regular payday. With no state statute, that's the enforceable standard — it just lacks the extra penalties strict states add.
Estimates only, not tax or financial advice. Figures reflect the 2026 tax year. Verify important decisions with the IRS or a qualified tax professional.