FICA taxes explained (2026)
📅 Updated for the 2026 tax year · built from primary IRS & SSA sources
FICA is the payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare. In 2026 it takes 7.65% of most paychecks — separate from federal income tax — and your employer matches it.
Social Security tax — 6.2%
Social Security is 6.2% of your wages, but only up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Earnings above that aren't subject to Social Security tax, so the maximum an employee pays is about $11,439 for the year.
Medicare tax — 1.45% (+0.9%)
Medicare is 1.45% on all wages — there's no cap. High earners pay an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single), which employers begin withholding automatically once you cross that threshold.
How FICA hits your take-home pay
Because FICA comes out before you ever see your paycheck, it's a big part of the gap between your salary and your take-home pay — alongside federal income tax and state tax. Self-employed people pay both halves (15.3%) as SECA, with a deduction for the employer portion.