FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare. both employee and employer pay.
rates
| Component | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security (employee) | 6.2% | 6.2% |
| Social Security (employer) | 6.2% | 6.2% |
| Social Security wage base | $176,100 | $184,500 |
| Medicare (employee) | 1.45% | 1.45% |
| Medicare (employer) | 1.45% | 1.45% |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% | 0.9% |
total employee FICA: 7.65% on wages up to the Social Security wage base, then 1.45% Medicare only above that.
Social Security wage base
Social Security tax only applies to wages up to the wage base. earnings above this amount are not subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax.
| Year | Wage Base | Max Employee SS Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $176,100 | $10,918.20 |
| 2026 | $184,500 | $11,439.00 |
Additional Medicare Tax
an extra 0.9% Medicare tax applies to wages above these thresholds. employee-only (no employer match).
| Filing Status | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Single | $200,000 |
| Married Filing Jointly | $250,000 |
| Married Filing Separately | $125,000 |
| Head of Household | $200,000 |
these thresholds are not indexed for inflation (unchanged since 2013).
self-employed
self-employed individuals pay both the employee and employer shares:
- Social Security: 12.4% (up to wage base)
- Medicare: 2.9% (no limit)
- Additional Medicare Tax: 0.9% (above thresholds)
- deduct half of self-employment tax as an above-the-line deduction
source: IRS Topic 751, IRS Topic 560. data from deepcalc.com