Financial Guides
Plain-English guides to US paychecks, taxes and debt — every guide is paired with a free LopperX calculator so you can apply the ideas to your own numbers.
FICA Tax Explained (2026)
Social Security and Medicare taxes: 2026 rates, the $184,500 wage base, self-employment rules and worked examples.
Read Guide →How Tax Brackets Work (2026)
Marginal vs effective rates explained with the official 2026 table and a worked example on an $85,000 salary.
Read Guide →How Much Tax Is Taken Out of My Paycheck?
The four layers between gross pay and take-home pay — plus an $85,000 Texas vs California comparison.
Read Guide →How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
Why minimum payments cost ~$11,140 on a $6,000 balance, snowball vs avalanche, and a 4-step payoff plan.
Read Guide →Guides + Calculators, Together
Reading about tax brackets is useful; seeing your bracket is better. Start with a guide above, then run your numbers in the matching tool: the Paycheck Calculator, FICA Calculator, Tax Bracket Calculator or Credit Card Payoff Calculator. All 23 LopperX calculators are free and run entirely in your browser — your numbers never leave your device.