The definition
YTD is short for "year-to-date". On a pay stub it is a running total: the sum of every value in that row, from January 1 of the current calendar year through the pay date on this stub.
Almost every pay stub has two columns for each earnings and deduction line: "Current" (this pay period only) and "YTD" (cumulative for the year). The YTD figure resets to zero on the first pay stub of every new calendar year.
How to read YTD figures
YTD Gross Pay is the total you have earned before any tax or deduction, across every pay period so far this year. If you started a new job mid-year, YTD only counts earnings at the current employer — earnings from prior jobs sit on their own pay stubs and W-2s.
YTD Federal Tax, YTD Social Security, and YTD Medicare are the totals of each tax line withheld from every check this year. When your W-2 arrives in January, the numbers in boxes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 should equal the YTD totals on your final December pay stub. If they do not match, ask payroll to reconcile — the pay stub is the source of truth for the pay period totals, and the W-2 is a summary.
YTD 401(k), YTD HSA, and YTD Roth are used to make sure you do not exceed the annual IRS contribution limits (in 2025: $23,500 for 401(k), $4,300 for individual HSA). YTD Net Pay is the total that has been deposited to your bank account so far.
Why YTD is useful
YTD numbers are the fastest way to answer three common questions: (1) how much have I earned so far this year, (2) how much tax have I paid, and (3) am I on track to hit my 401(k) or HSA contribution limit before December 31.
Lenders also use YTD when the loan closes mid-year — they extrapolate your YTD gross to project annual income. That is why lending applications ask for your most recent pay stub in addition to your last W-2.