Server questions, answered straight
🇺🇸 US rules
One question per page. The answer comes first, then the example, then the official sources and the date we last checked them. How we verify.
Topics
Is my manager allowed to do that?Side work at $2.13, off-the-clock work, held tips, uniform charges, breaks, retaliation, harassment: the federal answer, fast.21 questions →What to text your manager, and your first weeksCopy-paste texts for calling in sick, running late, swapping shifts, and quitting, plus what to know when you just started.13 questions →Benefits for serversHealth coverage, tax credits, unemployment, and paid leave you can get, federally and by state.1 questions →Money for tipped workersWhat servers make, taxes on cash tips, when card tips must be paid, budgeting on tips, unemployment, and Social Security.16 questions →Safety on the floorFood safety, carrying plates, allergic reactions, choking, drunk guests, injuries, and customer harassment.11 questions →No Tax on Tips (federal, 2026)How the federal qualified tips deduction works, who qualifies, what counts as a tip, and how to claim it.21 questions →Tip-outs and tip poolsWho your employer can make you share tips with, who can never take a cut, and which number you report.16 questions →Pay and rightsTipped minimum wage by state, walkouts, overtime, and calling in sick.4 questions →Tip tracking and paychecksHow to keep a tip record the IRS accepts, read your paycheck, and prove your income.4 questions →Menu and floor skillsLearn a menu, wine list, and cocktail specs fast, handle allergen questions, and upsell.8 questions →
State minimum wage tables
Tools
No Tax on Tips 2026 calculatorEstimate your federal qualified tips deduction after the $25,000 cap and income phase-out, and a ballpark federal income-tax savings at a rate you choose.Tip-out calculatorEnter your tips, sales, and your restaurant’s tip-out rates to see what each coworker gets and what you keep.Tipped wage checkEnter your state, hours, cash wage, and tips for a week to see whether you reached minimum wage.Server paycheck estimatorSee what’s left of a tipped paycheck after Social Security and Medicare on your reported tips, and why it can be $0.Break rules by stateThe meal and rest break rules the Department of Labor lists for your state, word for word.
More
Comparing apps to track tips? See the best tip tracker apps.
Researchers and reporters: the facts behind our tables are free to download as CSV.
Wage and tip rule changes, with sources, are in What changed (also as RSS).
TipMax Answers explains public government guidance on pay and workplace rules in plain English for tipped workers. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Rules change and local rules can add to them. Confirm with the agency linked on this page or a qualified professional. TipMax the app helps you track tips and pay; it doesn’t enforce wage law or decide disputes.