How this number is made
FICA is the employee share: 6.2% Social Security up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, plus 1.45% Medicare, plus 0.9% additional Medicare over the threshold for your filing status. The employer matches the 6.2% and the 1.45%, not the 0.9%.
- Wages are Social Security and Medicare wages, which are usually gross wages before income-tax withholding.
- A second job does not get a fresh wage base. Type the combined wages.
Formula
Social Security = 6.2% × wages up to $184,500. Medicare = 1.45% × all wages. Additional Medicare = 0.9% above the filing threshold.
Worked example
With the figures already in the form, employee fica is $6,885.00.
Questions
Does my employer pay the same?
The employer matches Social Security and the 1.45% Medicare. The 0.9% additional Medicare is the employee’s alone.
Is a 401(k) exempt?
Traditional 401(k) contributions are generally still subject to FICA. They reduce income tax, not this tax.