How to read your payslip in Uruguay: from gross to net

They tell you your salary, but less reaches the bank. The difference is the payslip deductions, and it's worth understanding them: it's not magic or an error, it's how your pension, health and taxes are funded. Let's go line by line.

Nominal vs net pay

The nominal salary is the gross total; the net is what you take home after deductions. Those deductions are your personal social-security contributions (BPS) plus, where applicable, IRPF. Understanding them helps you know what your work really pays.

Pension contribution (15%)

The biggest deduction is the contribution for your pension. Per the BPS:

Per the BPS:

«El aporte personal jubilatorio equivale al 15 % del salario nominal de un trabajador»

In English: The personal pension contribution equals 15% of a worker's nominal salary

FONASA (health)

It's your contribution to health coverage (a mutualista or ASSE). The rate isn't fixed: it varies with your income level and whether you have a dependent spouse or children (roughly 3% to 8%). The current rates are published by the BPS:

FRL (0.1%)

The Labour Reconversion Fund is a small contribution —0.1% for the worker— that funds, among other things, retraining for those who lose their job. It's the smallest line on the payslip, but it's there.

IRPF

If your salary exceeds the non-taxable minimum, the employer withholds IRPF, a progressive tax (the more you earn, the higher the rate). Good news: your FONASA and FRL contributions are deductible in IRPF, so you don't pay tax on them. See the admitted deductions:

What you don't see: the employer's contributions

Beyond what's deducted from you, the employer contributes on its own (employer pension, employer FONASA, FRL, BSE accident insurance). That doesn't come out of your net pay, but it's part of the real cost your work has for the company.

The payslip lines (worker's side)

In short: your net is the nominal minus pension (15%), FONASA, FRL (0.1%) and IRPF; the employer also contributes separately. Knowing each line gives you the real picture. Verify the current rates at the BPS and DGI.