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What is the employee's Social Security tax rate for 2024 and 2025?

Author:
Harold Averkamp, CPA, MBA

Social Security Payroll Tax for 2024

The employee’s Social Security payroll tax rate for 2024 (January 1 through December 31, 2024) is 6.2% of the first $168,600 of wages, salaries, etc. An employee’s 2024 earnings in excess of $168,600 are not subject to the Social Security tax.

Social Security Payroll Tax for 2025

The employee’s Social Security payroll tax rate for 2025 (January 1 through December 31, 2025) is 6.2% of the first $176,100 of wages, salaries, etc. An employee’s 2025 earnings in excess of $176,100 are not subject to the Social Security tax.

Social Security Payroll Tax is One Part of the FICA Payroll Tax

The Social Security payroll tax is one of the two components of the FICA payroll tax. The other component is the Medicare tax which applies to every dollar of an employee’s earnings. In other words, there is no annual wage limit or cap for the Medicare tax. In fact, there is also an Additional Medicare Tax that applies to high income employees.

An Employer Must Match its Employees’ FICA Taxes

In addition to the employees’ Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, the employer must match the amounts that were withheld from the employees’ paychecks (except that the employer does not match the Additional Medicare Tax).

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About the Author

Harold Averkamp

For the past 52 years, Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) has
worked as an accounting supervisor, manager, consultant, university instructor, and innovator in teaching accounting online. He is the sole author of all the materials on AccountingCoach.com.

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