Every time you look at a pay stub, two lines sit above federal income tax withholding: Social Security and Medicare. Together they are FICA — the Federal Insurance Contributions Act payroll tax that funds retirement, disability, and health insurance for nearly every working American. This calculator estimates exactly how much of your salary goes to FICA in 2024, splits out the employer side of the tax, and flags the 0.9% additional Medicare surcharge that hits high earners.
FICA is not the same as income tax. It is a flat percentage on wages with an upper limit on the Social Security piece, and it applies whether or not you itemize deductions. Knowing the number helps you forecast take-home pay, compare a job offer, or estimate what your employer is quietly paying on your behalf.
How to Use
- Enter your Annual Gross Wages — the full taxable salary or hourly pay before any pre-tax deductions. Bonuses, commissions, and overtime are all wages for FICA purposes.
- Pick your Filing Status. This does not change the Social Security or Medicare rates, but it sets the threshold at which the 0.9% Additional Medicare surcharge kicks in.
- Choose the Tax Year. The Social Security wage base is revised annually; this calculator uses the 2024 base of $168,600 (and the 2023 base of $160,200).
- Read the result card from top to bottom: the three employee components, the total FICA withheld from your check, the employer match, and the combined tax.
The calculator assumes a traditional W-2 employee. Self-employed people pay both sides through the SECA / self-employment tax on Schedule SE — a different rule with its own deduction.
The 2024 FICA Formula
FICA is built from three pieces. The numbers come straight from IRS Topic 751 and Publication 15:
- Social Security — 6.2% employee, 6.2% employer on wages up to the annual wage base. For 2024 that base is $168,600; wages above it pay no more Social Security tax.
- Medicare — 1.45% employee, 1.45% employer on all wages, with no upper cap.
- Additional Medicare — 0.9% employee only on wages above a filing-status threshold: $200,000 for single and head-of-household, $250,000 for married filing jointly, $125,000 for married filing separately. The employer does not match this surcharge.
In one line:
Employee FICA = min(wages, 168,600) × 6.2% + wages × 1.45% + max(0, wages − threshold) × 0.9%
For example, on a $100,000 salary: Social Security is $6,200, Medicare is $1,450, and no additional Medicare applies. Your employee FICA is $7,650, and your employer pays a matching $7,650, for a combined $15,300.
Why the Employer Match Matters
The 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare lines on your pay stub are only half of FICA. Federal law requires your employer to deposit an identical 7.65% on top of your wages. On a $100,000 salary that is another $7,650 the IRS never shows you on your W-2, but it is a real cost of hiring you — and it is why self-employed workers pay the equivalent 15.3% SECA tax and get to deduct half of it above the line.
High earners notice one asymmetry: the 0.9% Additional Medicare surcharge falls on the employee alone. A software engineer earning $300,000 pays $900 of this surcharge (on the $100,000 above $200,000), while the employer match stops at the ordinary 1.45%.
Examples
Example 1 — A $100,000 salaried employee. Gross wages are below the Social Security wage base, so every dollar is taxed at 6.2% for Social Security ($6,200) and 1.45% for Medicare ($1,450). Total employee FICA is $7,650, the employer match is $7,650, and combined FICA is $15,300 — about 15.3% of salary.
Example 2 — A $250,000 senior engineer, single. Social Security stops at $168,600 of wages, so the employee Social Security tax is $10,453.20. Medicare on the full $250,000 is $3,625.00. The additional 0.9% surcharge applies to the $50,000 above $200,000, adding $450.00. Total employee FICA is $14,528.20. The employer match is $14,078.20 (no surcharge), and combined FICA is $28,606.40.
Example 3 — A $1,000,000 executive. Social Security is capped at $10,453.20. Medicare takes $14,500.00. The additional 0.9% surcharge hits $800,000 of wages ($1,000,000 − $200,000), adding $7,200.00. Total employee FICA is $32,153.20 — a far lower effective rate than 7.65% because of the wage base cap, even though the surcharge still applies.
FAQ
What is FICA?
FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) is the U.S. payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare. It is split equally between employee and employer at 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare, totaling 7.65% each side, or 15.3% combined.
How much FICA is taken out of my paycheck?
For most wage earners under the Social Security wage base, FICA withholding is 7.65% of gross wages: 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare. On a $100,000 salary that is $7,650 per year, or roughly $637.50 per monthly paycheck.
Is there a cap on Social Security tax?
Yes. In 2024 the Social Security wage base is $168,600, so the maximum employee Social Security tax is $10,453.20 ($168,600 × 6.20%). Any wages above that threshold in the calendar year stop paying Social Security tax for the rest of the year. There is no cap on the Medicare 1.45% portion.
What is the additional Medicare tax?
The Additional Medicare Tax is a 0.9% surcharge on wages above $200,000 for single filers and heads of household, $250,000 for married couples filing jointly, and $125,000 for married filing separately. Unlike base Medicare, the employer does not match it; it is owed only by the employee.
Does my employer pay FICA too?
Yes. Employers must match the 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare taxes — another 7.65% on every dollar of qualifying wages. The match does not apply to the 0.9% Additional Medicare surcharge. This hidden employer share is why self-employed workers effectively pay 15.3% through SECA.
Are bonuses, overtime, and commissions subject to FICA?
Yes. All wages — salaries, hourly pay, bonuses, commissions, overtime, and most taxable fringe benefits — are subject to the full 7.65% employee FICA rate, up to the Social Security wage base. Pre-tax retirement contributions reduce federal income tax but generally do not reduce FICA wages.
Does FICA apply to self-employed people?
Self-employed workers pay the equivalent under the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA), usually 15.3% on net earnings up to the wage base plus 2.9% Medicare above it. They may deduct half of the SECA tax as an above-the-line adjustment. Use a self-employment tax calculator for that scenario.
Disclaimer
This FICA calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or payroll advice. Figures are based on 2024 IRS rates and the 2024 Social Security wage base of $168,600; actual withholding depends on your W-4, state rules, pre-tax deductions, and employer payroll practices. Always confirm your final liability with a qualified tax professional or the IRS before filing.