The quote
$85,000, salaried, single filer, no state income tax, 4% 401(k) election with a full 4% match, biweekly pay. The offer reads $3,269 per paycheck gross — and everyone mentally spends that number.
The deductions, in order
401(k) election: $130.77 per check (pre-tax). Federal income tax on the remainder: roughly $460. FICA: 7.65% of gross, $250. Health premium: say $110. Net deposit: about $2,320 — $949 less than the mental number. The gap is not a scam; it is five separate cuts, each visible on the stub and each modeled in the take-home calculator.
The part nobody mentions
The employer match adds $130.77 per check into the 401(k) — money the offer letter never advertises and the bank account never shows. Total compensation is $85,000 + $3,400 of match + benefits. Comparing job offers on deposit alone systematically undervalues the retirement-rich offer.