Before the advent of direct deposit, employees typically received paper checks attached to their pay stubs. These pay stubs contained all the information they needed about their earnings, taxes, and deductions.
But today, more than 95% of U.S. employees get paid via direct deposit, according to the American Payroll Association. That can make accessing a pay stub a bit more involved. Here, you’ll learn how to get pay stubs from direct deposit and alternatives if you’re having trouble tracking yours down.
Key Points
• Direct deposit is a widely used electronic funds transfer method that deposits payments directly into bank accounts, without traditional paper pay stubs.
• Pay stubs offer detailed information on earnings, taxes, and deductions, accessible through online portals.
• Employees can contact HR or payroll departments for pay stubs if not available online.
• Tax returns and bank statements serve as alternatives to pay stubs for income proof.
• Over 95% of U.S. employees use direct deposit, complicating pay stub access.
What Is Direct Deposit?
Direct deposit is a type of electronic funds transfer in which businesses and government agencies pay you by electronically transferring money into your bank account.
Direct deposit is an increasingly popular way of receiving money, typically from an employer but also from government entities, like when you receive a tax refund or benefit payment, and from other businesses, such as when you receive an insurance payout.
Setting up direct deposit can be a convenient and secure way to get paid. Plus, it’s faster than receiving and depositing checks, and it cuts down on paper waste.
What Are Pay Stubs?
A pay stub is a physical or digital statement that accompanies your paycheck. Here’s a bit more detail on them:
• A pay stub includes important information for tracking your earnings, including how much you earned during a pay period, the amount of taxes withheld, and other payroll deductions, like 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums.
• Often, your pay stub will include information about the current pay period and year-to-date (YTD) earnings. This gives you a fuller picture of your annual earnings and makes it easier to calculate your monthly income.
• Pay stubs can include sensitive personal information, like your Social Security number and the name of your employer. It’s important to store paper pay stubs in a safe place and, when you no longer need them, safely destroy them, such as by shredding or burning.
Now that you know how pay stubs function, consider how to get this information when you receive direct deposit.
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2 Ways to Get Pay Stubs From Direct Deposit
When you receive a paper check, your pay stub is attached, but getting your pay stub for a direct deposit payment may require a step or two.
You typically have two options to get your pay stub:
1. Self-Service Portal
Approximately 87% of employees in the U.S. have access to pay stubs via a self-service portal offered by their employer, according to PayrollOrg (PAYO).
Your employer may have sent you instructions for navigating this employer portal when you first started your job, but if you forget how, a quick email or call to HR should get you on the right track.
2. Contacting HR or Payroll
If your employer does not use a self-service portal or you aren’t sure how to access it, you can speak with your manager, human resources department, or payroll department. They can typically email you access to your pay stubs or print out physical copies to deliver or mail to you.
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What Are Pay Stubs Used For?
You may wonder why you would ever even need your pay stub. Some food for thought:
• It’s a good idea to review your pay stub every once in a while to make sure there aren’t any errors. After all, accidents happen.
• By reviewing your pay stub, you can ensure you’re getting paid the right amount of money and that you have the correct amount of taxes being withheld (so you don’t end up owing more when it’s time to file).
• Looking over your pay stub can also help you verify that your retirement contributions are being properly handled.
• You may also need your pay stub as proof of income when trying to rent a new apartment or apply for a loan. Often, lenders want to see proof of income for personal loans, auto loans, and mortgages.
A pay stub can be an easy way to check your own financial standing and show potential lenders and landlords that you have a job and how much money you make.
Alternatives to Pay Stubs
If you can’t quickly get access to your pay stubs but need to provide proof of income to a lender or landlord, you may be able to prove your income in other ways, including:
• The previous year’s tax return
• Current bank statements that show direct deposit information
• A proof of income letter (also known as a salary verification letter) from your employer
These documents may be able to satisfy the requirement when pay stubs are not available.
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The Takeaway
Direct deposit typically makes getting paid easier, safer, and more convenient. But by foregoing the paper check in favor of direct deposit, you don’t necessarily get immediate access to your pay stub. In most cases, employers offer an online self-service portal so you can view your pay stub, but if you’re unsure, you can always reach out to your payroll or human resources department to discuss how to access your pay stub.
Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.
FAQ
How do I view my pay stub if I have direct deposit?
Most of the time, you can view your pay stub from direct deposit through an online self-service portal. More than 83% of employees in the United States have this option — and all you need to do is log in to the portal following the instructions from your employer.
If your employer doesn’t offer a self-service portal, you can typically contact your human resources or payroll department to get a copy of your pay stubs emailed or mailed directly to you.
What happens if your employer doesn’t give you a pay stub?
Most people do not receive a pay stub with direct deposit payments. Instead, employers usually make this information available via a self-service portal, though this isn’t required at the federal level. (State requirements may vary.) If you don’t have access to a pay stub via an online portal, contact your HR or payroll department to understand what steps you need to take to get a copy of your pay stubs.
Need access to proof of income as soon as possible? See if you can utilize last year’s tax return or current bank statements in lieu of a pay stub.
How can you get proof of your pay stub?
If you receive a paper check, it should come with a physical pay stub. If, like most Americans, you receive direct deposit, you can usually get your pay stub via an online portal through your employer. If you don’t have access to a self-service portal, try contacting your company’s HR or payroll department. They can typically provide you with physical or digital copies of your pay stub.
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Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 11/12/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet
Eligible Direct Deposit means a recurring deposit of regular income to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government benefit payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Eligible Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network every 31 calendar days.
Although we do our best to recognize all Eligible Direct Deposits, a small number of employers, payroll providers, benefits providers, or government agencies do not designate payments as direct deposit. To ensure you're earning the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit, we encourage you to check your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit posts to your SoFi account. If your APY is not showing as the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit, contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. As long as SoFi Bank can validate those details, you will start earning the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit from the date you contact SoFi for the next 31 calendar days. You will also be eligible for the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit on future Eligible Direct Deposits, as long as SoFi Bank can validate them.
Deposits that are not from an employer, payroll, or benefits provider or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, Wise, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, or are non-recurring in nature (e.g., IRS tax refunds), do not constitute Eligible Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder's Eligible Direct Deposit activity to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility.
See additional details at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
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