FICA & Social Security Tax Calculator
Calculate your Social Security and Medicare taxes for 2025 or 2024. See the full employee vs employer split, self-employment tax details, and a rough estimate of your future monthly Social Security benefit.
Your FICA (Employee)
$5,738Total FICA (Both Sides)
$11,475Est. Monthly SS Benefit
$2,500| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| SS Wage Base (2025) | $176,100 |
| SS Taxable Wages | $75,000 |
| SS Rate (each side) | 6.20% |
| Employee SS Tax | $4,650.00 |
| Employer SS Tax | $4,650.00 |
| Total SS Tax | $9,300.00 |
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Medicare Rate (each side) | 1.45% |
| Base Medicare Tax (per side) | $1,087.50 |
| Total Medicare Tax | $2,175.00 |
| Tax | Employee | Employer | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security | $4,650.00 | $4,650.00 | $9,300.00 |
| Medicare | $1,087.50 | $1,087.50 | $2,175.00 |
| Total FICA | $5,737.50 | $5,737.50 | $11,475.00 |
This is a rough estimate based on your current income. Actual benefits depend on your full earnings history, age at claiming, and other factors. Visit ssa.gov for a personalized estimate.
Estimated Monthly Benefit
$2,500
Estimated Annual Benefit
$30,000
Frequently asked questions
What is FICA tax?
FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) tax funds Social Security and Medicare. Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare, for a combined rate of 7.65%. Employers pay a matching 7.65%, bringing the total FICA tax to 15.3% of wages. These taxes are automatically withheld from your paycheck by your employer.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2025?
For 2025, the Social Security wage base is $176,100, meaning only the first $176,100 of your earnings are subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax. Any wages above this threshold are exempt from Social Security tax but are still subject to the 1.45% Medicare tax. The wage base is adjusted annually based on changes in the national average wage index.
What is the Additional Medicare Tax?
The Additional Medicare Tax is an extra 0.9% tax on earned income above $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for married filing jointly. It applies on top of the standard 1.45% Medicare tax, bringing the total Medicare rate to 2.35% on high earnings. Unlike regular Medicare tax, employers do not match the Additional Medicare Tax — it is paid entirely by the employee.
How is self-employment tax different from FICA?
Self-employment tax is essentially the self-employed person's version of FICA, but you pay both the employee and employer portions for a combined rate of 15.3%. However, you only pay SE tax on 92.35% of your net self-employment income, and you can deduct the employer-equivalent half (7.65%) as an above-the-line deduction on your income tax return. The same Social Security wage base and Additional Medicare Tax thresholds apply.
Sources
Related insights
Use these guides for rule explanations, planning context, and follow-up questions beyond the calculator result.
How FICA tax works
Social Security, Medicare, wage caps, and when additional Medicare tax applies.
Understanding FICA, Social Security, and Medicare
A plain-English guide to payroll tax withholding for W-2 employees.
How self-employment tax works
Why the 92.35% factor exists and how SE tax differs from employee withholding.