Taxes

What is FICA

March 20, 2017 • By

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Last Updated: March 20, 2017

FICA taxes help provide benefits for retirees, disabled people and children. This contribution helps your parents and grandparents have a secure retirement while securing today and tomorrow for you and your future family. Learn more about FICA.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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  1. Eleanore

    This web site is really a stroll-by for all the info you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse right here, and you’ll definitely uncover it.

    http://assets.twoorb.com/forum/discussion/289955/get-greater-data-about-radio-controlled-fun

  2. Julie V.

    Dear fellow Americans — FICA is not a dirty word! It’s an amazing benefit that accrues as soon as a worker receives formal pay, either as wages or salary. I was amazed at the deducitons from my first check when a high school senior clerking PT at Woolworth. My dad explained the purpose of all the deductions and I understood the point of common good, as my family understood it from the New Deal. Decades later my spouse and I both benefit from a lifetime of hard work and the security that if anything happened to us before retirement, some support would be available. The big hoodwink–and it’s really a cheat–is that there is a CAP on the amount of earnings that can be taxed to pay into the Social Security system. Most earners don’t know this as most don’t come anywhere near the ceiling in earnings. The cap is currently about $120,000/yr, which means that earnings above that amount are NOT taxed in FICA. What kind of fairness/common good is that? There should be NO cap; instead, a proportional tax on every worker, all the way to the top earners would ensure the future solvency of Soc Sec forever. It won’t mean more tax on YOU, who probably don’t earn enough to exceed the cap and didn’t know about the cap in the first place. Rather, just tell your senator and representative–“scrap the CAP,” so high earners will pay their fair share.

  3. Jocelyne C.

    Hi, I have and still pay FICA taxes on my paychecks. I am getting SS benefits under my ex since I am 66. What I don’t understand is while I am still working I am still taxed 85% of my SS benefits. So I am paying taxes on taxes that was withheld from my paychecks for 40 years. It doesn’t seams fair because I choose to work.

    • Ray F.

      Thank you for your comment Jocelyne. Everyone working in covered employment or self-employment regardless of age or eligibility for benefits must pay Social Security taxes. Also, some people have to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return) in addition to your benefits. For further income tax questions, you will need to contact the IRS.

  4. Hospitals &.

    Sanders, Tony J. Brief on the Budget Declaration of the United States of America to the
    Secretary-General of the United Nations. Hospitals & Asylums HA-18-3-17 http://www.title24uscode.org/bdusa.pdf

    Life is a picnic. In the United States Anthony has been the most popular name for baby boys reported by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for years. Senator Bernie Sanders may have sold his soul to the Democrats; but it is not too late for representative democracy to benefit the people with the passage of Title 7 IRS Form 1040 Section 15 Voluntary 1-2% of Income United Nations Contribution of the Social Security Amendments of January 1, 2017. This is the final brief you, António, shall receive from me, Anthony, without reciprocity under Art. 36 (2)(4) of the Statute of the Court regarding this Declaration of Non-Self Governing Territories under Chapter XI of the UN Charter. The United States President has not submitted his budget contents to Congress by the first week of February under 31USC§1105. The new Republican White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director may be impeached for impeaching the Historical Tables, specifically required to be downloadable for picnicking, comparison and reconciliation by Title X State of the Union Section 24 To White House Office of Management and Budget (WHOMB) of the Social Security Amendments of January 1, 2017 above.

    Until late fall of 2017, for the winter burn season until it ends in spring of 2018, the Secretary shall not prescribe any burns on Forest Service land under 16USC§551c-1(a). 1,000 wildfires in California in the summer of 2016 negligently fails to maintain control of the heat of prescribed fires on Non-National Forest system lands that invariably damage the National Forest System under 261.5(g). Specifically, no permits causing timber, trees, slash, brush or grass to burn shall be authorized during the spring, summer, and early fall months under 36CFR §261.5 (c) shall be issued due to the melting of the Antarctic icecap in 2016 whereas it is unlawful to engage in open burning of waste on land under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 under 16USC§2403(a)(4) & (b)(I)(B).

    The White House OMB website now links to the historical budget documents and tables since 1996. America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again omits legislature, judiciary and ledger; does not accurately account for agency spending; and it is not lawful for military spending to increase more, or much less, than 2.5% over $583 billion reported by DoD FY 2017 (not $587 billion in the FY 2017 Historical Tables) – $598 billion FY 2018. DoD FY congressional budget justification must delete the Topline, Baseline, Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) and Other rows from the Department of Defense ‘Budget’ Since the September 11 Attacks to help OMB to account government spending growth in both the civilian and military along the lines of 2.5% = % new employees + % pay-raise, 3% in-kind welfare and average 4% cash welfare benefit spending growth that might be more like 7% in OASDI spending due to the surge of new Baby Boomers and 3% cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) or 250% if the rich are taxed the full 12.4% OASDI tax on all income to end poverty by 2020 and begin to pay 16-24 children growing up poor.

    Summer Equinox Tables were emailed to inspire the Actuary to timely pdf publication of (1) the April Fool draft (2) Commissioner’s annual report on the SSI report in May and (3) revolutionary new Summer Solstice Instructions of the Board of Trustees of the OASDI Trust Funds and SSI Programs. The Actuary must anticipate several drafts in one year to account for the transition from his lifelong inability to calculate the OASDI tax rate to 2.4% DI 2017 and 2.2% DI 2018, three percent COLA all 2017, orphan and IDDM as qualifying disability, to taxing the rich “to end poverty 2020” by unanimous roll call vote, and maybe even get that long awaited piece of the $2.8 trillion OASI trust fund by making a withdrawal to pay for very high +/-4% growth in Baby Boomer retirees for the intermediate projection + 3% COLA = 7% annual spending growth in the OASI program.

  5. Donald F.

    More States need to review their laws to protect those who they represent!

  6. Donald F.

    What percentage goes toward MEDICADE? Florida residents can be shielded from loosing their home if they are on MEDICADE and have the right to transfer it as an inheritance at their death. I know they can’t take anything with them! Indiana residents does not have the same opportunity, their home must be placed in a ill revocable trust to shield it. Otherwise the State takes title to recover unreimbursed expenses and that sounds fair because all taxpayers pay for the care of someone who doesn’t have the funds to pay. I know each state constitution is different and the USA constitution is basically to provide for defense of the USA against other hostile countries. Should the percentage collected from that person and any funds after the sale of their home and personal assets be provided as directed in their will or go to the state if intestate?

    • Marc

      No, you’re incorrect. The entire Constitution is about providing for the common good of all americans; in fact, the Constitution itself forbids a formal standing Army, as it forbids fighting any war on foreign soil. The military as it is now was a creation of Congress. The Constitution is actually a very short document, you can read it in 15 minutes and it’s available as an app for both iPhone and Android. Check it out sometime.

      • sis

        Also – read Helvering vs Davis. SS is unconstitutional but the Supremes decided otherwise.

  7. Jean D.

    About the policy way in the system,please how you can help.Thanks.

  8. Jean D.

    To start with,then you know the system and how you can help me the right way in the system.Thanks.

  9. Jean D.

    To start with,as a hard worker then i do expect after 66 so i will died as this kind of people who died after 66 without hope.Besides,how you can help,thanks.GOD BLESS AMERICA.

  10. Raymond

    Ok we all pay in total of 15.3% and 171 million do that to support those retired now and those retired pay a monthly fee for their Medicare ,and you can’t retire until
    you are 66! So how many died be for 66 and how many many died a few years after turning 66.But yet our gov’t
    tells us the fund is going broke! It’s all gov’t bullshit!

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