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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For 2026, calculate employee Social Security tax at 6.2% on covered wages up to $184,500, and regular Medicare tax at 1.45% on all covered wages. If you are self-employed, the corresponding base rates are 12.4% and 2.9% on applicable net earnings, subject to the Social Security wage base. Additional Medicare Tax may apply above a separate income threshold.
Calculate the taxes on an employee paycheck
Social Security and Medicare taxes are often grouped as FICA, but calculate them separately because their limits differ. For tax year 2026, use the following employee-side rates:
| Tax | Employee rate | 2026 wage limit | Maximum employee tax from one employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | $184,500 in covered wages | $11,439 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | No wage base limit | No fixed maximum |
These are the employee shares. Employers generally pay a matching 6.2% Social Security tax and 1.45% Medicare tax on covered wages. The combined base rates are therefore 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare, but the employer share is not part of the amount withheld from your pay.
Example: $80,000 in covered wages
For $80,000 of covered wages from one employer in 2026, the employee-side calculations are:
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- Social Security: $80,000 × 0.062 = $4,960.
- Medicare: $80,000 × 0.0145 = $1,160.
- Base Social Security and Medicare withholding combined: $6,120, before any Additional Medicare Tax.
The result assumes all $80,000 is covered wages and does not account for special wage rules or other circumstances that may affect an individual paycheck.
Apply the Social Security wage base
The 2026 Social Security wage base is $184,500. For covered wages from one employer, multiply wages by 6.2% until the employee reaches that annual amount. The maximum base Social Security withholding from wages paid by one employer is $184,500 × 0.062 = $11,439. After the employee’s covered wages reach the limit, that employer generally stops withholding Social Security tax for the rest of the calendar year.
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Medicare tax continues at 1.45% because regular Medicare has no wage base limit. As the IRS puts it, “There’s no wage base limit for Medicare tax.” See IRS Topic No. 751.
The one-employer calculation may not settle the result where you had multiple employers, a successor employer, or wages subject to special rules. For those situations, check the applicable instructions in IRS Publication 15. IRS guidance notes that special wage rules can affect whether some payments are covered.
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Check whether Additional Medicare Tax applies
Additional Medicare Tax is an extra 0.9% on applicable Medicare wages, self-employment income, and railroad retirement compensation above the applicable threshold. For 2026, the thresholds are based on filing status:
| Filing status | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Married filing jointly | $250,000 |
| Married filing separately | $125,000 |
| Other taxpayers | $200,000 |
Do not confuse the employer’s withholding trigger with the threshold used to determine your final tax. An employer must begin withholding the additional 0.9% from wages it pays to an employee after those wages exceed $200,000 during the calendar year, regardless of filing status. There is no employer match for this extra tax.
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Your final liability depends on filing status and your applicable income, which can include wages, self-employment income, and railroad retirement compensation. If you have more than one income type, use the coordination rules in the IRS Form 8959 instructions. An amount withheld by an employer is not by itself the final calculation of what you owe.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Calculate self-employment tax
If you are self-employed, the base self-employment tax rates are 12.4% for Social Security plus 2.9% for Medicare, for a combined rate of 15.3% on applicable net earnings. This generally represents both portions of the base tax that an employee and employer would pay between them. The Social Security portion is subject to the annual wage base; Medicare has no wage base limit.
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- Determine your applicable net earnings from self-employment using the IRS rules.
- Calculate the Social Security and Medicare portions under the instructions for Schedule SE (Form 1040), applying the Social Security wage base where required.
- Check whether Additional Medicare Tax applies to your applicable income. If you also have wages, use the coordination guidance in IRS Topic No. 560 and the Form 8959 instructions.
One-half of self-employment tax can generally be deducted when figuring adjusted gross income. That deduction is handled in the income-tax calculation; it does not change the stated self-employment tax rates.
Quick Recap
Employee and self-employed calculations at a glance
| Situation | Individual’s base rates | Social Security wage base | Employer match | Calculation route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee | 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare | Social Security applies up to $184,500 in covered wages for 2026; Medicare has no cap | Employer generally matches the base rates | Employer withholds from pay; final Additional Medicare Tax depends on applicable income and filing status |
| Self-employed | 12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare on applicable net earnings | Social Security applies subject to the annual wage base; Medicare has no cap | No employer match is described for the self-employed calculation; the individual pays the combined base rates | Compute using Schedule SE; Additional Medicare Tax may also apply |
Use the right calculation for your situation
- One employer and wages below $184,500: calculate 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare on covered wages.
- Wages at or above $184,500: Social Security withholding from that employer generally stops at the wage base, while Medicare withholding continues.
- Wages above $200,000 from one employer: that employer must withhold Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000, but your final liability uses your filing status and applicable income.
- Self-employment income: use Schedule SE for the base calculation and check the Additional Medicare Tax rules if applicable.
- Multiple employers, mixed income, or unusual wage categories: consult the relevant IRS instructions rather than assuming a single-employer paycheck calculation determines the final result.
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