# FICA Tax Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/finance/fica-tax/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The FICA tax calculator works out Social Security and Medicare taxes for 2026 for an employee or a self-employed person, including the Social Security wage base and the additional Medicare tax for high earners.

## Inputs

- Employment type
- Filing status
- Income (wages or net self-employment earnings)

## Results

- Earnings subject to FICA
- Social Security tax
- Medicare tax
- Total FICA tax
- FICA as a share of income
- Employer's matching share (employees)
- Deductible half (self-employed)

## Formula

```
Employee: Social Security 6.2% on wages up to $184,500 + Medicare 1.45% + additional 0.9% above $200,000 ($250,000 joint)
Self-employed: 15.3% (12.4% + 2.9%) on 92.35% of net earnings, half deductible
```

## Explanation

FICA funds Social Security and Medicare. Employers pay a matching 7.65%, so total FICA on wages is 15.3%. Self-employed people pay both halves but can deduct the employer half from income.

### How to use the FICA Tax Calculator

- **Employment type**
- **Filing status**
- **Income (wages or net self-employment earnings)**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Choose employee or self-employed, your filing status and income.

### Tips

- Tax figures here are estimates for planning – your actual tax depends on credits, deductions and local rules.
- Check the tax year and filing status before you rely on a result.
- Use gross (before-tax) figures unless a field asks for take-home pay.
- When in doubt, confirm with the tax authority's own calculator or a tax professional.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Confusing marginal and effective tax rates.
- Adding sales tax to a price that already includes it.
- Forgetting payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) on wages.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterEmployment typeChoose one: Employee, Self-employedFiling statusChoose one: Single, Married filing jointly, Married filing separately, Head of householdIncome (wages or net self-employment earnings)Amount in your currency

### What each result means

- **Total FICA tax** = [Social Security tax] + [Medicare tax]
- **FICA as a share of income** = [Total FICA tax]÷[Income (wages or net self-employment earnings)]×100

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Income** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Income (wages or net self-employment earnings)Total FICA tax60,0004,59090,0006,885120,0009,180150,00011,475180,00013,770240,00015,279

## Worked example

Inputs — Employment type: Employee; Filing status: Single; Income (wages or net self-employment earnings): $120,000.

Results — Earnings subject to FICA = $120,000.00; Social Security tax = $7,440.00; Medicare tax = $1,740.00; **Total FICA tax = $9,180.00**; FICA as a share of income = 7.65 %; Employer's matching share (employees) = $9,180.00; Deductible half (self-employed) = $0.00.

## FAQ

**What is the FICA rate?**
7.65% for employees (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare).

**What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?**
$184,500 – earnings above it aren't taxed for Social Security.

**Do self-employed people pay FICA?**
They pay self-employment tax of 15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings.

**What formula does the FICA Tax Calculator use?**
Employee: Social Security 6.2% on wages up to $184,500 + Medicare 1.45% + additional 0.9% above $200,000 ($250,000 joint).


## Sources

- [SSA – 2026 Social Security changes](https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2026.pdf)